How to Get Ready for Cars and Coffee Season

Warmer weather and longer days usually mean two things: The start of spring and car and coffee season.

A long winter of road salt, slush and snow have probably made a mess of your car. The outside is caked in white while the inside has slowly accumulated dirt. Winter is a dirty season, but spring is the perfect time to revive the outer, and inner, beauty of your car. Getting your car show ready is more than a wash and rinse. There are lots of ways to get that showroom shine, no matter the age.

Our vehicles are judged first by their exterior looks. Keeping your car, SUV or truck clean is more than a gas station car wash once a month. Soaps can be harsh on paint finishes, stripping them of that brilliant shine. A good wash should be gentle and condition the finish. Meguiar’s cleaning solutions are well known to be gentle but powerful shampoos. Their Gold Class Shampoo will clean and condition the finish of your car without damaging wax or paint. Their Wash and Wax solution is ideal for restoring a car’s new wax in between full wax treatments.

It’s important to use the softest sponges for a wash. Just as much care needs to be taken for drying as washing. A high-quality terry cloth like the Meguiar’s Supreme Microfiber towels to bring out the best shine after the shampoo.

Wax is essential to protect and bring out the best shine. There are two choices: Synthetic or Carnauba. While Carnauba is the old school natural solution, it tends to be more expensive and harder to use than Synthetic waxes. Ultimately, the choice is yours, as both bring out the best in your paint finish shine. Mother’s Synthetic is probably the secret behind the mirror shine for cars and coffee.

UV rays from the hot summer sun can damage plastic and vinyl surfaces inside the car. A good cleaner does more than shine, but also protects the interior from UV rays. Meguiar’s Mirror Glaze Vinyl and Rubber cleaner sits at the top this category as well. It provides long-lasting UV protection while restoring interior surfaces to their original look. A tip for the finish: You can vary how shiny or matte the finish is depending on how long you leave the cleaner on before buffing. A shorter time finishes with a nice shine, while longer resting time before buff finishes matte.

Often overlooked by amateur detailers, the engine is the heart of your vehicle. It’s surprising how much of Winter’s gunk covers the engine bay. Cleaning this part of your car doesn’t have to involve hours of heavy elbow grease with the right products. As a pair, the Griot’s Garage Engine Degreaser and Engine Bay Dressing are a one-two punch. These powerful products leave your engine bay looking showroom ready in no time.

The Wise Guide team writes about things we think you’ll like, introducing you to great products, services and special deals. We do have affiliate partnerships, so we may earn revenue from the products and services you buy.