Automotive Academy

When you first purchase a car you are eventually going to want to sell it on at some point, so it is important that from day one of the purchase you start to maintain it so when you come to sell the car on, or complete a part-ex deal, you can get the highest resale value in the future.

While your engine is new and still shiny and beautiful, you should have it sealed to keep it that way. An engine sealer can help to keep under the bonnet looking clean and shiny and this should not cost very much but it looks incredible! And the effects of it lasts. 

The manufacturer of your vehicle probably recommends you to change the oil in your car every 6,000 miles, but to be on the safe side, I recommend every 3,000 miles. Also, keep the records using an envelope and put it in your glove box for all of your oil change receipts. On the outside of the envelope list the date of each oil change, records of any manual work on the vehicle will always be an attractive feature to possible buyers. 

Regular ‘tune ups’ and maintenance at the dealership always reflects well when you show a possible buyer the history of your vehicle, go at the recommended increments and always replace tires and repair breaks regularly. Once again, get a separate envelope for tune ups and maintenance and keep your receipts in 

Keep the inside and outside of your car clean, cleanliness is far easier to maintain than it is to clean something that has years of build up. Use the appropriate leather, vinyl and wheel cleaners for best results.

And always ensure you repair any damage promptly and correctly straight away, as if left they will just get worse and become harder and more expensive to fix. Keep your receipts for your repairs at home with your insurance paperwork.

One of the most annoying things about owning a car is coming out of the shops to your parked car, to find it has a scratch… small but noticeable, on the vehicle side panel. It wasn’t there yesterday or a week ago, but today it is prominent. How frustrating! If this is a small scratch, it is simple to fix and here’s how!

First you need to look closely at the scratch. If it is minor and only scratches the paint surface of the car, but not destroyed the paint or gone further than the top coating, it can be fixed it. You will need a thin lined sharpie marker that is the same color as your car. Black marker for a black car, blue marker for a blue car etc.

Wash the panel the scratch is on to make sure it is completely rid of any dirt or grim. Wipe it dry with a paper towel. Make sure there is no dirt on the area around the scratch or in the scratch itself or this process won’t work. Take the sharpie marker and fill in the scratch very carefully. This needs to be an exact line, spread evenly where the paint is lacking. 

You then need to carefully apply wax the area of the scratch, place the wax on the surface, but before moving or polishing, allow the wax to set for 15 minutes. After the time allotted is finished, polish the panel as directed on the package directions.

Once you are done polishing, you will notice the scratch has disappeared or considerably lightened. The wax builds up in the scratch and allows the surface to smooth out. This is can be repeated if necessary and will last for up to a year before fading.

Once you have finished washing your car the next step is to complete a wax. And even if the vehicle has been corrected with a swirl remover it is still recommended to apply a pre wax as part of the entire system.

Pre-wax is just as the name implies, to get the surface ready for wax to be applied. Tar spots, some tree saps and various other surface contaminates are usually not taken off by a product that is termed wax only.

The wax/cleaners with high solvent content in them need to be avoided, as they will eventually deteriorate the surface to which they are applied. Pre Wax Cleanser is especially formulated to be used prior to applying Car Wax. If you’re trying to get a really incredible deep, vibrant shine from your wax, you need to use a pre wax cleanser to properly prepare the surface prior to use Car Wax.

The benefit of Pre Wax Cleanser is that is prepares the surface after you wash it, so that the paint surface doesn’t get contaminated by dirt or anything else that may keep you from getting the ultimate protection.

The application of the car wax is the final stage, again we like to apply the wax by hand and remove by hand using a super flush Micro fiber towel. With a good car wax you don’t need multiple products to accomplish astonishing results, it doesn’t get any easier.

Tire Dressing is best to be applied as a tire gel using an applicator with a very thin layer of tire gel to the tire sidewall if more shine is desired a second coat can be applied, most of the time one coat is enough, it’s a nice finishing touch after all your hard work!

We are often facing the question of what is the best way to achieve maximum results to detail a car. To start your detail job, you want to make sure your car is not in direct sunlight and that the surfaces on the outside aren’t hot, de-tailing a car in hot weather will just create bad results.

Vehicle surface evaluation is one of the most important aspects of a successful detail job. This evaluation will allow us to prepare ourselves with the correct products and steps, things like light scratches, swirl marks and other paint imperfections can be evaluated at this time, from here we will have a plan of what products are needed and in what order.

Begin with a pre-wash by rinsing all the loose debris from the top of the car working downwards. You want to make sure to get all of the loose grime off of the surface so you don’t have to use your wash mitt. Using this process we can avoid causing swirl marks, at least to a certain point.

Do not use the same wash water or tools on the paint as you did your wheels. Prepare your wash materials and get started doing the wheels, tires and wheel wells one by one. Don’t do all of them at once, you don’t want any of these cleaners to dry. Use the detail brush first to get to the backside of my wheels and get all that brake dust out of there. When you are done with each wheel, rinse the wheel and make sure the entire cleaner is off the wheel.

After the tires and wheels have been done and before wetting the paint, you will want to prepare your wash bucket and tools for the paint in this step you will use a Car Shampoo that is highly lubricated formula with unique foaming quality and quick rinse characteristics.

The use of the wrong shampoo that doesn’t remove the grime and dirt combine with a low quality sponge/applicator will eventually leave swirl marks in your paint surface something that all of us try to avoid.

When you are done rinsing the car of all the soap, you need to dry your car. Make sure if you see a spot of dirt you missed, or loose debris on the car, don’t touch it with your drying towel, re-wash the area and then dry. A great tool is the chamois and we can go as far as using leaf blowers to completely remove all the water from all the tight spaces and trim.

The next step will be a tutorial guiding you how to complete your de-tailing process by waxing your car, come back tomorrow for the next tutorial! 

Do not impair the quality of your driving with dirty windows. Here are a few tips on how to clean those car windows.

Always choose a cleaner that does not contain ammonia, most ammonia based products, like household cleaners are not safe for any type of tinted glass, are not healthy to breathe in and some can leave streaks on your windows. The best cloth to use is a microfiber cloth or towel. Clean windows after doing the rest of your car so you don’t mess it up again while working on other areas.

Wipe up and down and side to side with long strokes giving special attention to the windshield since that is the glass you will be using the most.

Roll down windows to get at the top edges of the glass – if you leave dirt in these areas when you put your windows down it will just smear over your clean windows.  

Clean the mirrors and headlights too whilst you are doing this.

Maintain clean windows by keeping your windscreen wipers clean and in good condition. You might also want to use a windshield washing additive to the wiper fluid to help clear any dirt from the windows. 

Whatever it is that needs to be de-iced, the process will be much easier if it is first coated with a lightly oily spray. In the case of windshields, one of the handiest and most economic de-icing solutions is Rain-X. This will not prevent ice from forming on the windshield, but it will make ice removal a quick and easy process because it doesn’t allow the ice to directly bond to the glass.

Save some money by making your own homemade de-icing fluid. Then pour the liquid into the windshield reservoir. The fluid will help to cut through windshield ice and it won’t freeze up unless you live in or near Antarctica. As an added benefit, the fluid will also help to keep the plastic parts of the windshield spraying system from becoming brittle over time.

That’s right; those innovative little scientists have made a windshield spray that makes ice on windows, doors, handles, and locks instantly disappear. De-icer works wonders in any situation, and it doesn’t hurt the surfaces underneath (paint, wax, etc.)

Remote start systems can be installed in most types of vehicles, including those with standard transmissions, which can help to warm up the car before you get into it, de-icing the windows ready for when you get in the car. Remember – leave your car out of gear before starting and always lock the vehicle!

Car cleaning products can be made at home, much less expensive than the store bought cleaners and they are better for the environment too. Here are some home made recipes that will take care of all of your car care needs.  

CAR WASH SOLUTION: Add a couple drops of liquid castile soup which can be found in health food stores to a bucket of water and wash with a sponge or soft cloth.

WINDOW CLEANER: Fill a clean spray bottle with full strength white vinegar and spray onto windows, then allow it to sit for a few minutes, then, wipe dry with a piece of newspaper.

CHROME CLEANER: Mix together equal parts white vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Then, spray it on your wheels; and work it in with a sponge or cleaning rag. Note: Vinegar should not be used on aluminum alloys.

CARPET AND UPHOLSTERY STAIN REMOVER: Mix white vinegar and baking soda together to form a paste. Then, work the paste into any carpet and upholstery stains with an old toothbrush or something similar. Allow the paste to dry. Then, vacuum up the baking soda, and the stains should be gone. Note: Some stains may need to be treated more than once.

INTERIOR CLEANER: Mix together equal parts white vinegar and water. Then, spray it on any vinyl, plastic, wood, or leather surfaces in your car that need cleaning. Allow it to soak in. Then, wipe dry with a clean rag. Note: As with any leather cleaner, you should test on a small area before applying to the entire surface.

WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID: Mix half white vinegar with half water and fill your windshield washer fluid reservoir. The acetic acid in the vinegar dissolves grime, bugs, and sap. It also helps keep windows frost free in the winter.

1) For the best results you will want to not only clean the outside of the wheel but the inner section of the wheel.

2) To wash the tires you should use a cleaner degreaser, this can also be used to clean the wheel arch if you decide you want to. The wheels can be a time consuming task if you haven’t done them before, it will get easier the more you do it – trust me.

3) Once applied let it set for a couple of seconds to bond itself with the dirt and grime on the wheel.

4) If possible you should use a wheel cleaner on the actual alloy as this will give the best results, ensure that you are wearing gloves when handling acid based products.

5) Using a sponge you can begin to clean the arch well while the products are setting onto the tires/alloy ready to be removed. You should always use a separate sponge when caring for separate products to avoid damaging your car with dirt or gravel. Remove the soap from the arch well with a hose pipe ready to begin on the actual wheel itself.

6) If you have a longer sponge you should use that on the wheel so that you can get inside the alloy and ensure that it’s all clean. Use a paintbrush around the spokes if you have any so that you can ensure the alloy cleaner will remove all of the dirt.

7) Spray this off with a hose pipe and see the final result. If you have missed certain parts then you can go back over them and ensure they are clean before you move onto the next wheel. Simply repeat steps 1-7 on each wheel and you have finished cleaning your cars wheels.

1) Before you do anything with wax you have to ensure your car has been thoroughly cleaned and dried if you want the best results.

2) Apply the wax to the paint of your car, if the surface is quite hot you may be best applying it direct onto the buffer pad.

3) It makes it easier if you split each area up and focus on waxing that before moving on, using a buffer you should rub the wax in evenly. Never hold the buffer still on the paintwork as it could burn or mark it.

4) After each section is complete I would advise you to rub off the wax, leaving it on too long (especially in heat) will allow it to set onto the car. This will make it much harder when it comes to rubbing it off.

5) If possible, use a microfiber cloth to remove the wax opposed to a normal towel. It will make it easier to remove the wax and the end result will look much better.

6) For smaller areas such as mirrors, lights and section on the bodywork you should apply the wax with a wax pad instead of the buffer. Not only will it make it easier to do but you will not risk scratching or damaging anything.

7) After that it’s just a case of going round the car getting the desired result.

Having a scratch on your car is never pleasant, there are various methods in which you can remove the scratch without having too much expense or damaging the existing paintwork.

1) If the scratch is not that deep you can often remove it using a compound such as T-Cut or other car polish.

2) Using a similar method to waxing your car you should use a buffer or other tool to rub the compound into the paintwork with ease. Remember to keep the device moving because you could burn the paint if held in the same position for any length of time.

You should always start with the device flat and apply pressure to the edges after it has turned on.

3) For the best results you are advised to use another compound which is less abrasive or gritty afterwards, using the same method you simply apply the compound and use the buffer to rub it in. Again, don’t let it stay in one place or it could damage your paintwork.

4) After it has been applied you can use a towel to wipe it down and add a layer of wax if you wish.

5) Check the result, if you are satisfied you can either leave it as that or go over it once more with the buffer to ensure the compound/wax has been rubbed in sufficiently. This time you would be advised to turn the speed down making it smoother.

6) If you do not have the results you were after you can repeat these steps until you are happy the scratch has been removed.