Autumn Paint Protection: Sorting Your Ride After a Brutal Summer

Never, ever wash your car in direct Aussie sun if you can help it. The water dries too fast and leaves spots. If the paint feels hot to the touch, let it cool down first. Grab a cold one and wait 20 minutes.

I always do the wheels first. Why? Because they're usually the filthiest part. If you wash the body first then spray wheel cleaner, all that grime and iron spray flick back onto your clean paint. Use a dedicated bucket for the wheels so you don't get brake dust in your main wash mitt.

Give the whole car a good blast with the hose or pressure washer. You want to get as much of that loose grit and red dust off as possible before you actually touch the paint with a mitt. If you've been out near the coast, pay extra attention to the wheel arches to get the salt out.

Dunk your mitt in the soapy water, wash a panel, then rinse the mitt in the plain water bucket before going back for more soap. Start from the roof and work your way down. The bottom of the doors is always the dirtiest, so save those for last.

Once the car is washed (but still wet), spray your Iron Remover over the paint. If you see purple streaks, that's the chemical reacting with embedded metal bits from the road. Let it sit for 3-5 minutes, but don't let it dry! Rinse it off thoroughly.

This is the secret sauce. Use a clay bar with plenty of soapy water or clay lube. Gently glide it over the paint. It'll feel 'grabby' at first, then it'll get smooth. I once did this on a mate's white Hilux that felt like sandpaper, after 20 minutes with the clay, it felt like silk. This removes the 'baked-on' summer grime that a normal wash won't touch.

Give it one more rinse. Then, use your big microfibre towel to dry it off. Don't rub like you're scrubbing a floor; just lay the towel flat and pat it or drag it slowly across the surface.

Now the car is naked and clean, look for bird poo marks. If the sun has 'cooked' the mark into the paint, you might need a light polish. Most of the time, a bit of hand polish will clear up the haze.

Whether you're using a wax or a ceramic spray, do one panel at a time. If you're using a ceramic spray, usually it's 'spray on, wipe off'. Don't go overboard, more isn't better. Two thin coats are always better than one thick, smeary mess.

Open the doors and wipe down the sills. I like to put a bit of rubber protectant (like 303 Aerospace) on the door seals. Summer heat dries these out, and they'll start creaking in winter if you don't nourish them.

Clean the windows inside and out. If you're expecting a wet Autumn, put a rain repellent (like Rain-X or a ceramic glass coating) on the windscreen. It makes a massive difference when you're stuck in a downpour on the M1.

Apply your tyre shine. Personally, I hate the 'super greasy' look. I prefer a satin finish that doesn't sling black gunk all over the guards the second you drive off.