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“Tips & Techniques” aka “How to Take Care of your Car” Submitted by Pamela Rhodes, Director of Marketing, JAGS.org While I’ve owned a number of Jaguars in my career; currently driving my 7th cat, a 2005 silver XJ Vanden Plas, I’ve never had my car “detailed” in preparation for any type of show. After I registered for the Saratoga/Cool Car Club show, I decided to consult with one of my neighbors’ favorite professional detailers, Don Urbonas, of Ultimate Auto Detailing. Don has been working with cars since he “was a little kid”, first helping at his neighbor’s auto body shop. He handles detailing appointments at your doorstep/driveway or at his Daly City location. He wants to make my car “look the best that it can”. As I wasn’t able to schedule an in-person, or rather in-car appointment, he was kind enough to give me the following dos and don’ts during an hour-long Zoom call. Thanks to Phil Endliss for clarifying that the Saratoga Show is akin to our “Show and Shine” shows and not judged so my preparation would be quite different and much easier. Even if you utilize a commercial hand car wash in- stead of a professional detailer or a DIY approach, it’s important to observe and understand what products, equipment and processes those working on your car are using.
1. Always use the least aggressive methods available, trying to eliminate harsh chemicals, detergents and abrasive actions. Leave your dish soap in the kitchen. Of course, it’s just common sense to keep out of the hot sun!
2. Start with any needed repairs; loose or damaged accessories and parts. Fogged headlights are a more recent challenge as auto manufacturers add UV inhibitors to the lenses and those inhibitors break down over time causing the surfaces to cloud. The “fog” can be removed with specialized polish or by sanding and re-spraying; A topic for another column. Scratches and chips should be repaired as soon as possible; another topic for future guidance.
3. Take everything out of the car. Minimize, organize and store essentials compactly. I should do this more often, even when not anticipating a show. 4. Remove carpet mats and vacuum everything thoroughly. To remove carpet stains, use a ten to one, diluted solution of distilled water and a mild cleanser. Apply gently with a low- nap, microfiber (MF) rag, dampened with the solution rather than directly. If needed, use a soft brush to gently scrub the stain. Blot the area with a dry MF towel. Repeat as needed.
5. Wipe down your interior surfaces with a soft, low knap MF towel moistened with distilled water. Rinse the towel in clean water frequently. Do not use products like Armorall to achieve an instant but ultimately damaging shine.
6. To clean the interior glass, grab another MF towel and dampen with distilled water, wipe each window, top to bottom. Remove the dampness from the glass with clean, dry, soft MF towels using a back and forth motion. Replace the carpets and accessories and get out the hose.
7. Before any washing, remove any street tar and bug carcasses with a product that respects your car’s finish such as Tarminator.
8. Begin with your wheels and tires, usually the dirtiest place. Again, before washing, “hose down” your wheels, tires and wheel compartments with your water hose set to the strongest setting to remove the loose debris. Alternatively, use a water pressure washer if you choose. Vote for the softest brush and some all- purpose cleaner on wheels and tires that will get the job done.
9. Rinse the car body thoroughly before washing thus avoiding the possibility that you might be rubbing street grit and grime into the paint finish as you’re washing which will cause swirls in your paint’s finish.
10. Start at the rooftop and work in sections, using a gentle motion with a ph neutral car shampoo, applied to your super soft wash mitts. Use two buckets to insure you’re able to rinse your wash mitts frequently. Rinse each body section as you go. Dry your car thoroughly with your twisted loop MF towels. Open all your doors, bonnet and hood to let any remaining water drip out and dry.
11. After the car and wheels are washed, and dried, use a water-based, non-silicone dressing for your tires. (i.e. Meguiar’s D170) Again, apply the treatment to your applicator rather than spraying directly, thus avoiding any possible overspray onto the body. Do not use “instant shine” tire products that can deteriorate the tire itself.
12. We aren’t recommending Meguiar’s exclusively. Just know what’s in the products you’re using.
13. Close everything up, apply a fast and safe shine (i.e. Meguiar’s “Quick Spray Wax”), stand back, take some photos and then go enjoy the show!
Pamela Rhodes pamela@artroads.net Don Urbonas Ultimate Auto Detailing Dru2ii@yahoo.com