Washing
Waxing and Polishing
Dressing

Keeping the car clean ia an absolute. And I love to do it. I just need to start earlier in the day.

I use Turtle Wax Zip Wax car wash concentrate for regular cleanings. Zaino also makes a whole line of really nice cleaners/waxes/polishes. Only I seldom do the whole mail-order rigamarole.

Buy good quality Made in the USA 100% cotton towels and rags. Don't go for the cheap or lightweight stuff. The heavier-weight rags will treat you and your car well. Also, if it's not made in the USA, you might not be getting 100% cotton. And that's bad. That may scratch your car. Bad!

Wash from top to bottom, so as not to wash any dirt down over an area you've already cleaned and make sure to keep it wet and very sudsy. Oooh... suds are good. Everyone likes bubbles, especially your car. Hose off with low pressure.

Twice a year (or more if I'm feeling especially anal) I'll use Dawn or an equivilent dishwashing liquid to really clean the car and strip the wax. After a good wash-down with Dawn, I use the clay bar on the entire painted surface of the car to remove any smaller grit and grime. Works well on wheels, too, but then the piece of clay tends to be too dirty for use on painted surfaces.

After a clay-ing, you'll need to wash your car again. Wax must then be reapplied to protect the clear coat and paint. Re-wax immediately, if possible.

Drying can be a bitch with this car. Perhaps it's because it's a black car. Either way, water likes to hide in LOTS of places, from the door handles to the mirrors to the door runners to the hood to the brake light assemblies and rear hatch... Dry it, drive it about 60mph and then dry it again. Repeat as needed.

A spray bottle of Simple Green works wonders inside the wheel wells and in the engine compartment. Spray liberally, allow to soak and then scrub (in the wheel wells) or spray (engine compartment) off. Interesting lingering licorice scent, but relatively bio-friendly and has hundreds of uses. A nice degreaser at full-strength.

I'm not going to suggest a polish or wax is better than another. Thats a war that's been raging for some time and it's completely up to you. I will tell you what I've used and found.

I started on my car with the Zaino products. They did a really nice job. I ran out. I went to the store. I got Meguiar's Gold Class liquid polish and paste wax. They do a very nice job as well.

Waxing is waxing. A two-step process involving polish and wax is all my car has known. A final dressing spray is also nice. The disadvantage of the Meguiar's products over the Zaino is the residual wax that's hard to get at - around window stripping, emblems, etc. The Zaino goes on and comes off very easily.

Wax whenever you feel like it, but do the whole Dawn/Clay/Wax thing at least twice a year - in Spring after all the snow and salt and ice is gone and in Fall before winter cold and snow and salt and ice sets in. Of course, if you live in a little more forgiving climate you might do it twice a year as well...

I've found the Meguiar's Endurance tire dressing to do a really nice job and last a decent length of time - without being messy or greasy to work with. That's thanks in part to the included applicator. Works well, looks nice.

If I ordered no other Zaino products, it would be the quick-cleaner spray, Z-6. It's great for wiping down a pollenated or dusty car without a lot of work. Works great with other Zaino products and presumably with other waxes/polishes as well.

Window cleaner. Windex just doesn't cut it for me. I've found a nice, cheap foaming aerosol spray at the auto shop that works really well. Spray and it sticks to the glass, come back and wipe it down really well and it does a nice job in no time flat. Not a lot of wrestling needed.

Rain-X is also a great product for the outside of your windows. After a good washing, an application of Rain-X will take off even more grime and sort of "waterproof" your windows. Rain glides right off. I like it muchly, even if it requires a lot of elbow grease to really polish up nicely.