Autumn Paint Rescue: Prepping Your Ride for the Change of Season

Never, ever wash your car in direct Aussie sun if you can help it. The water dries too fast, leaves spots, and makes the products go wonky. If you don't have a carport, get it done early morning or late arvo.

Blasting a hot car with cold water isn't great, but you need to get the surface temp down. Give it a thorough spray with the hose to knock off the loose dust and gum leaves.

I always do the wheels first. Why? Because they're the filthiest part. If you do them last, you'll splash brake dust and grime onto your clean paint. Use a dedicated bucket just for the wheels.

If you've got a foam cannon, use it. If not, just use a pump sprayer with some diluted APC. Let it dwell for 5 minutes to soften up those baked-on bugs on the bumper. Don't let it dry!

Use the two-bucket method. One with soapy water, one with clean water to rinse your mitt. Start from the roof and work your way down. I usually do the bottom third of the car last because that's where the heaviest road grime and salt sit.

This is the 'magic' step. Spray your iron remover over the dry-ish paint. If your car is white, you'll see it 'bleed' purple. This is dissolving industrial fallout and brake dust that a normal wash won't touch. Rinse it off thoroughly after 3-4 minutes.

Run your hand over the paint. Feel those little bumps? That's embedded crap. Use your soapy water or a dedicated clay lube and gently glide the clay mitt over the surface. Do this until the paint feels smooth as glass. (Honestly, I wouldn't bother with a traditional clay bar unless you're doing a full show-car polish; the mitts are way more practical).

Give it one last rinse. Use your big microfibre drying towel. I like to 'lay and pull', lay the towel flat on the bonnet and pull it towards you. It sucks up the water without you having to scrub.

If you really want your sealant to stick, wipe the car down with a 50/50 mix of Isopropyl Alcohol and water, or a dedicated 'Prep Spray'. This removes any leftover soap films.

Now for the good stuff. Apply your ceramic spray or sealant. Work one panel at a time. Usually, it's a spray on, wipe in with one cloth, and buff off with a second clean cloth. Don't go 'overboard' with product, more isn't better here, it just makes it harder to buff off.

Open the doors and wipe down the jambs. I've found that applying a bit of silicone-based protectant to the rubber seals now prevents them from sticking or cracking when the cold winter mornings start hitting.

Clean your windows with a dedicated glass cleaner. If you want to be a real pro, apply a rain repellent (like Rain-X or similar) to the windscreen. With the Autumn storms coming, you'll thank me when the water just beads off at 80km/h.

Chuck some tyre shine on, but don't use that greasy silicone stuff that slings all over your paint. Look for a water-based 'tyre cream'. It gives a nice satin finish that doesn't attract dust like a magnet.