Autumn Reset: Prepping Your Ride After a Brutal Aussie Summer

Never, ever wash your car in direct sunlight if you can help it. The water and soap will dry too fast, leaving spots that are a nightmare to get off. Wait for the arvo or do it under a carport.

I always do the wheels first. If you wash the body then the wheels, the brake dust and grime from the rims will splash back onto your clean paint. Use a hose to blast the loose gunk out of the arches too.

Give the whole car a good soak with the hose. You want to knock off as much loose dust and sand as possible before you actually touch the paint with a mitt.

Fill one bucket with soapy water and the other with plain water. Dunk your mitt in the soap, wash a panel, then rinse the mitt in the plain water bucket before going back for more soap. This keeps the dirt out of your clean suds.

While the car is still wet, spray an iron remover over the paint and wheels. Let it sit for 2-3 minutes. It'll turn purple as it dissolves the tiny metal particles embedded in your clear coat. Wash it off thoroughly. Don't let it dry on the paint!

This is where the magic happens. Grab your clay bar and plenty of lubricant. Gently glide it over the paint. You'll hear it 'biting' at first, then it'll go silent and smooth. I once did this on a mate's 10-year-old HiLux that felt like sandpaper, after the clay, it felt like silk. Do the whole car, including the glass.

Rinse the whole car again to get rid of the clay lube. Use your big microfibre towel to dry it off. Pro tip: lay the towel flat across the bonnet and just pull it towards you. It'll soak up 90% of the water without you having to scrub.

Now that the paint is naked and clean, look for bird poo stains or water spots. If they're there, you might need a light hand polish. Honestly, I wouldn't bother with a full machine polish unless you're really keen, but a quick hand rub with something like Meguiar's Ultimate Compound works wonders on small spots.

Apply your sealant or wax. If you're using a modern ceramic spray (like Bowden's Bead Machine), it's dead easy. Spray on, wipe off. If you're using a traditional wax, apply it thin. Too many blokes chuck it on like they're icing a cake, but that just makes it a pain to buff off.

Don't forget the bits you don't usually see. Wipe out the door jams and apply a bit of rubber protectant to the seals. This stops them from sticking or cracking during the odd frosty morning we get later in the season.

Clean your windows with a dedicated glass cleaner. If you want to be a real pro, apply a rain repellent like Rain-X to the windscreen. When those Autumn thunderstorms hit, the water will just fly off, even without the wipers on.

Give the tyres a coating of dressing. I prefer a matte finish rather than that super-shiny 'wet look' that just flings grease down the side of your car the moment you drive off. Give it 20 minutes to dry before you hit the road.