Getting That Deep Wet Look: Prepping Your Ride For A Show

Always start here. If you wash the body first, you'll just splash brake dust and grime back onto clean paint. Use a dedicated wheel cleaner and brushes to get right into the barrels.

Use a high-pH soap or add a bit of APC (All Purpose Cleaner) to your foam cannon. We need to kill off any old wax so we're working on the bare clear coat. (The missus' dish soap works in a pinch, but don't tell her I said that).

Spray the dry car with an iron remover. It'll turn purple when it hits metal particles from your brakes. Rinse it off thoroughly. Don't let it dry on the paint, especially if it's over 30 degrees outside!

Run your hand over the paint. Feel those little bumps? That's embedded dirt. Use plenty of clay lube and gently glide the clay bar over the surface. If you drop the clay, chuck it. Seriously. It's a bin job now.

Use a big dedicated drying towel or a leaf blower. We don't want water spots forming while we're trying to polish.

Tape off your plastic trims, rubber seals, and badges with blue painter's tape. I once spent three hours picking white polish residue out of a customer's honeycomb grill because I was too lazy to tape it. Never again.

Don't just go at the whole car. Pick a small area on the boot or bonnet. Start with the least aggressive combo (fine polish and a light foam pad). If that clears the swirls, stick with it.

Work in small sections (about 50cm x 50cm). Use slow, overlapping passes with your DA polisher. Keep the pad flat. If you're in a shed in Feb, it's going to get hot, so check your pad often. If it gets gummed up, swap it for a fresh one.

This is where the magic happens. Switch to an ultra-fine finishing polish and a soft black pad. This removes any hazing from the first step and brings out that deep, oily gloss.

Spray a panel prep or IPA mix onto a clean microfibre and wipe the car down. This removes the polishing oils so your protection actually sticks to the paint.

For a show car, I reckon you can't beat a high-end Carnauba wax for 'warmth' on darker colours. If it's a white or silver car, a ceramic sealant like Gtechniq C2 gives a sharper, 'glassy' look. Apply thin, even layers.

Clean the windows with a dedicated glass cleaner (use two cloths, one to clean, one to buff). Polish any chrome or aluminium bits with a metal polish.

Apply a water-based tyre shine. Avoid the cheap silicone stuff that flings off onto your freshly polished guards the moment you drive to the show grounds.