Caring for new car

:
2019 CX-5 GT-PP
I've tried searching for car care questions, but didn't see anything that looked like it would address what to do with a new car.

I've ordered floor mats and will order a cargo liner. I'm planning on getting the front covered with PPF. My main concerns are:
  1. Do I need to get the rest of the car waxed right away?
  2. What do I need to do to preserve the leather. I'm getting the Parchment (so white), and with the ventilated seats.
  3. Any recommendations on glass treatments?
  4. Am I missing anything?
 
I wash the car frequently and put some liquid spray wax from time to time.For windows use rainex and for the leather I wipe with meguiars leather wipes once a month. Not much but keeps the car fresh.
 
I've tried searching for car care questions, but didn't see anything that looked like it would address what to do with a new car.

I've ordered floor mats and will order a cargo liner. I'm planning on getting the front covered with PPF. My main concerns are:
  1. Do I need to get the rest of the car waxed right away?
  2. What do I need to do to preserve the leather. I'm getting the Parchment (so white), and with the ventilated seats.
  3. Any recommendations on glass treatments?
  4. Am I missing anything?
Gary....
1) Not really but polishing a new car is always rewarding.
2)Get the window tinted,keep them clean with leather wipes, and treat them at least every new season (4 months min. ) with a quality leather treatment. I posted what I and hundreds of detail shops use.
3) I recomend to use what I posted in the picture. For the same reason as #2.
4) Don't forget the often neglected area's when washing like under the doors in the door jams and all around the door,hatch or truck weather striping.

The other member mentioned rainX... although I do have a few of their products I mostly use it on glass for trips only and not as a cleaner or glass treatment. However I always treat my backup camera with anti fog after a washing.


Washing and detailing your vehicle can be labor intensive as well fun. You need to find out exactly how much you want to involve yourself in the cleaning and upkeep of the appearance. When I wash my MAZDA about every two weeks it is a 4-6 hour wash and detail. This is also time used dependent on if I blow the undercarriage with lots of soapy high pressure washing. Polishing is a two day affair which I do about every 4 months. When I rotate my tires and wheels at 5,000 miles or less it takes me about 2 hours because I completely clean and detail the wheel both sides before re-installing them.
There are NO miracle products or short cut so I would not let anyone have you believing there is. Check out the cost at your local detail shop and ask them with a crew how long it takes for a basic hand wash and detail only of an average sedan.
 
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Clay bar and hand wax with a hard paste.. and spritzing with detailer as its wiped off leaves her feeling like butter...
 
Clay bar and hand wax with a hard paste.. and spritzing with detailer as its wiped off leaves her feeling like butter...
Yes "clay Bars" have been around for decades and work great until you drop them...

While a Nano Skin will last longer IMHO do a better job and if you drop it you can clean it and continue to use it.

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I still have and on a view occasion still have and use clay bars but anymore they are considered "OLD SCHOOL".
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Clay bar and hand wax with a hard paste.. and spritzing with detailer as its wiped off leaves her feeling like butter...

Would a clay bar really be necessary on a new vehicle? Mine was built at the end of November last year. I'm debating waxing it this soon.
 
Would a clay bar really be necessary on a new vehicle? Mine was built at the end of November last year. I'm debating waxing it this soon.


I recently traded up to a 2018 CX-5 and wanted to add some PPF(paint protection film) on strategic front parts of my vehicle.... front bumper, leading edges of the hood, mirror fronts, A pillars, and leading edge of the roof. The PPF installer recommended that I have front parts of my vehicle clayed , particularly where there was no shipping wrap applied at the factory. WOW, what a difference that made to the smoothness of the paint, and better for PPF application. Apparently these vehicles pick up a LOT of contaminants during transport.

When I did some research on waxes Liquid wax seemed to be preferred, particularly for ease of application and buffing, and those with synthetic polymers were important to seal the paint early on when your vehicle is new. I had first considered Meguiar's GOLD Class Carnuba plus, because it had the addition of wax as well as the polymer sealers. More research suggested that this particular product had higher amounts of petroleum distillates which can be detrimental to some PPF's and that Meguiar's Ulimate Liquid Wax (with no Carnuba wax) but only synthetic polymers, had very few petroleum distillates. I used this second product and despite containing no Carnuba wax still produced a terrific shine. After washing I will occasionally use a spray detailer/wax to maintain the shine & protection, then do a re-application of the Meguiar's Ulimate every 3 or 4 months. In 8-12 months I will reclay the whole car (except for the PPF areas) and redo my Meguiar's Ulimate Wax treatment.
 
I recently traded up to a 2018 CX-5 and wanted to add some PPF(paint protection film) on strategic front parts of my vehicle.... front bumper, leading edges of the hood, mirror fronts, A pillars, and leading edge of the roof. The PPF installer recommended that I have front parts of my vehicle clayed , particularly where there was no shipping wrap applied at the factory. WOW, what a difference that made to the smoothness of the paint, and better for PPF application. Apparently these vehicles pick up a LOT of contaminants during transport.

When I did some research on waxes Liquid wax seemed to be preferred, particularly for ease of application and buffing, and those with synthetic polymers were important to seal the paint early on when your vehicle is new. I had first considered Meguiar's GOLD Class Carnuba plus, because it had the addition of wax as well as the polymer sealers. More research suggested that this particular product had higher amounts of petroleum distillates which can be detrimental to some PPF's and that Meguiar's Ulimate Liquid Wax (with no Carnuba wax) but only synthetic polymers, had very few petroleum distillates. I used this second product and despite containing no Carnuba wax still produced a terrific shine. After washing I will occasionally use a spray detailer/wax to maintain the shine & protection, then do a re-application of the Meguiar's Ulimate every 3 or 4 months. In 8-12 months I will reclay the whole car (except for the PPF areas) and redo my Meguiar's Ulimate Wax treatment.

Thanks for the reply! I have a pretty good idea what the shipping wrap covered, as I picked it up off the truck. :) I was going to wax it today, but life got in the way. Oh well, maybe tomorrow.
 

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I am a fan of NUFINISH, the orange bottles. Easy to apply and I think it lasts at least a year. One downside, if you get it on anything black it will not look good. It literally takes paint thinner and toothbrush to get it off very carefully.

Also, a youtube video by chrisfix on supercleaning your car I found helpful. Particularly the steps for washing which minimize any micro scratches you could add in this process.
 
I've tried searching for car care questions, but didn't see anything that looked like it would address what to do with a new car.

I've ordered floor mats and will order a cargo liner. I'm planning on getting the front covered with PPF. My main concerns are:
  1. Do I need to get the rest of the car waxed right away?
  2. What do I need to do to preserve the leather. I'm getting the Parchment (so white), and with the ventilated seats.
  3. Any recommendations on glass treatments?
First, yes, use a clay bar (with detailing spray) after washing the car. It'll be silky smooth afterward. I have the same seats and use a high quality leather and interior cleaner followed by a leather conditioner at least twice a year, or when needed. For the interior glass I use a product called Brilliant Glaze. After it's wiped off you'll notice much less haze on the windshield caused by off-gassing of the vinyl and other stuff coming through the vents. It really works. For the exterior glass (windshield) I wash it, then clay it, then use a glass sealant. Water beads up and flies away at 40 mph.
 
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