Pamper Your Ride
Make your old car new again
From the Editors of Men's Health Living Photo by Dan Forbes
RUB DOWN THE SKINS. You have to routinely moisturize and clean the dash, doors, and seats to extend their life, says Larry Reynolds, CEO of Car Care Specialties. The coverings are probably vinyl or plastic, in which case you’ll apply a thin coat of vinyl cleaner (we like Lexol Vinylex, $9) with a soft cloth and rub it in. For leather, you’ll want a separate cleaner and conditioner (we like Meguiar’s Gold Class for both). If you’re not sure what’s vinyl and what’s leather, stick to leather products. Each year, clean your skins twice and condition them four times.
MIND THE CRACKS. On older cars, a hazy patina develops in the clear-coat paint from hundreds of “microscratches,” says Mark Greene, executive vice president of Griot’s Garage. Polish applied with an orbital polisher should buff them out. (Greene is partial to Griot’s Garage Machine Polish, natch.) A deeper gouge requires touch-up paint. Don’t use a brush, though. An applicator designed for touch-up paint (available at any auto-parts store) will be more precise.
DITCH THE SAP. Never scrape tree sap. You’ll pry off the paint, says Mike Pennington, an automotive-wax and -cleanser specialist for Meguiar’s. Instead, apply a few coats of bug-and-tar remover to soften the sap, then shave it off with a plastic razor (available at any auto-parts store). Buff and wax the area, and quit parking under trees.
CLEAN YOUR SLATE. If you intend on selling your car anytime soon, you’re going to want to lose the faded bumper sticker (who was Lieberman again?) and the dealer nameplate (are they paying you to advertise?). A strand of fishing line will saw through the adhesive holding on the nameplate, says Pennington. If the stickers tear as you peel them, use a gunk remover like Goo Gone or Goof Off to soften the adhesive. Vinyl stickers will peel away easily if you warm them with a hair dryer first. Coat any stubborn stickiness in WD-40 and gently wipe the remnants away with a soft cloth.
HIT THE FLOOR. Treat floor mats with a degreaser, such as P21S Total Auto Wash Citrus, using a soft nylon brush to work out any stains. Hose them off and let them dry. Go easy on other carpeting inside or you’ll strip off the stain protection.
BRIGHTEN UP. Plastic headlight lenses tend to grow hazy as the years go by. Use the same clear-plastic polish made for the vinyl rear windows of convertibles to remove the fog.
DON’T BREAK THE SEAL. If the doors’ rubber gaskets break down, you’ll get whistling air and water leaks. The first is annoying; the second makes the doors freeze shut. Neither impresses dates. You can keep gaskets supple with a cleaner and Polish formulated for rubber. (Try Wurth Rubber Care Spray.) Use it twice a year.
Create your own garage.
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