Wheel Woolies are renowned for not only providing an unbeatable clean to the visible parts of the wheels such as the rims but the small crevices where brake dust and dirt accumulates. Perhaps your car is just getting dirty from wear and tear. Perhaps you take your car in for an oil change, and your dealer asks if you want to get your car detailed. Is it worth your money to get professionally done? Leather protector are the cherry on top of a luxury car sundae, but without proper maintenance, they can be downright gross.

The secret to car detailing is in the name: it’s all about the details. When professionals detail your car, they know all the professional secrets that you might not.

Professional car detailers have all of the equipment ready. They have the detergents and the vacuums. If you don’t mind getting together the materials that you will need to detail your car, then consider detailing it at home. You will have to pay more initially to get all the materials, but you certainly won’t use up each of your cleansers every time. After the initial outlay, it becomes much cheaper to detail your car at home.

If you want to detail at home, find out what extras the professionals do to give your car the added boost. Often, they do large tasks such as taking out the seats in cars with removable seats to get all of the added grit. If you feel uncomfortable or unable to do such tasks, consider getting a professional to detail your car. You might even not feel up to the basic tasks of cleaning if you are physically limited. This is where professional help is the best solution.

If you choose to detail your car at home, there are a few basics to consider. For a thorough detail, you will want to wash your car, polish or wax your car, clean the interior, and get those windows clean. Car enthusiasts will also clean the parts of the engine that you can see. Remember not to skip your tires or your trunk!

Here are some hints for do-it-yourself car detailers. Use a wet-vacuum. A water-powered vacuum will be able to get the stains out of your upholstery better. If you have a leather car interior, consult an expert (or even call your dealer) before vacuuming. You might be best to simply wipe your car down if you have a leather car interior. When you use a wet-vacuum, always use slightly warmed water to clean your car. This brings out the best possible results.

Another tip to keep in mind if you are detailing your car is to never spray cleaning agents directly on to any surface of your car. Spray it onto a soft cloth or chamois to apply. Don’t use anything hard or scratchy on or in your car. You don’t want to chip the paint, polish, or finish. Use carpet cleaners for upholstered seats. Take out floor mats and clean them separately.

At a dealership or professional detailer, always ask what is included in the price of the detailing. Sometimes car detailing includes fixing marks to the paint or finish of a car. Other times it is only interior detailing. If you want added extras, sometimes you can get them just by asking. Only for large jobs will you need to pay more money.

Some services that you might enquire about at a professional dealer, or that you might consider performing yourself are things that you might not think of every day. Coating your antenna with graphite helps if your antenna is retractable. Use a q-tip to clean the inside of your vents. Use leather cleaners for leather surfaces (but remember that not all surfaces in a leather interior are actually leather; some are just faux leather).

You might realize that you don’t need to have car that is spotless. If this is the case, then cleaning your car at home is an obvious choice. Every once in a while, however, it is nice to do a thorough detailing job. You can’t always drive away in a new car, but you can sometimes drive away in a car that feels like new.

In the end, choosing to get your car detailed is a personal choice. There is no right or wrong answer. If you have enough money, and you don’t have the time, then having a professional detailer is the obvious solution. If you don’t have the money, consider detailing at home.

Andrew Dillan is an editor at [http://www.theguideto-carloans.com/budgeting_for_a_car/] The Guide to Car Loans. For all the information you need on cars and money, visit The Guide to Car Loans. Find out how to own your dream car today!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Andrew_Dillan/50127

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When your car breaks down, you must get it to run again. Being stuck without a functioning car can make your life very difficult. You don’t need to pay huge amounts of money for repairs. You can attend to a lot of money by fixing the issue on your own. The best car wash products are really essential to maintain your car while it is aging.

Get a good battery charger and be sure it is always in your car. Learn how to find the points where the battery charger on your car.

Never underestimate the value of keeping an emergency car kit inside your vehicle. You should put together a kit that includes the tools you need to change a tire, help you get some extra gas and tire changing tools as well.

Ask many questions you bring it in for repairs. Preventing automotive issues is a great way of saving money annually.

Go through your owner’s manual and dog ear the most useful pages. You may even find the answer to a problem in your car manual and fix the problem yourself.

Test out your car before paying the auto repair shop.

Make sure the mechanic you hire knows about your particular vehicle. If you don’t think he has, take your car to the dealer instead.

Speak with friends and family about auto repairs done for some good ideas. You may get a few recommendations from your friends and family. You should still always do some research however.At least look for online reviews on the shops that they recommend.

Look at flashing lights that flash on the dashboard and learn what they mean.These lights give you a good indication of when your car. Ignoring them for extended periods of time will not make the problem go away.

Be sure that you know how often the oil needs changing. You should regularly to keep your vehicle runs smoothly. If you don’t change it, your car may not last as long as it could.

There are a few different classifications that determine the quality of parts. New parts are brand new and made by the manufacturer. Refurbished parts ate those that these parts have been restored to working condition. Salvage means that they are used parts without any type of alterations.

Some shops replace your tires with even older ones. They do this to gain money from you. Mark your tires before you drop your car to an auto shop. If your chalk is missing when you go to retrieve your vehicle, you’ve been taken advantage of.

If you do not have a lot of money, but are on a tight budget, think about asking a local vocational school if they have an auto repair class. You pay a very low rate to have students fix your car while under the supervision of a licensed mechanic.

Don’t let a mechanic talk you into getting an engine flushed when it doesn’t need it. This is a costly service is expensive and not be necessary.

You can replace your oil or top up your windshield fluid compartment. It is not true that only professional auto mechanics can do routine jobs should be left to the professionals. Learn how to do the job before beginning, and then roll up your sleeves and get to work.

Keep your mechanic receipts in an accordion folder in your glove box. You can sort them however you like as long as you know what is where.This is particularly valuable when you get your car.

Get any car repairs performed at a service station that has your manufacturer. Going to any other auto repair shop may void all or part of the warranty.

Ask as many questions before letting a mechanic work on your vehicle. A reliable mechanic is always happy to discuss your concerns.

This rule to follow for generations. Modern vehicles need oil changes every 5,000 to 10,000 miles. Follow what the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Don’t buy into the theory that you need a tuneup at 10000 miles.This is nothing but a complete myth. You would better off if you followed the maintenance schedule recommended by the manual that came with your car.

Tire wear is something you can be prevented by regular rotation. You should have them rotated around every 6000 miles, but this can vary depending on the make or model of the vehicle you drive. Buy good quality tires to begin with; these will not wear down as quickly as cheap ones do.

The engine compartment belts are extremely critical to your car. A failed belt that fails can cause major damage to your engine. You probably need new belts if your car screeches when it starts up.

Be certain you understand exactly what the mechanic plans to do. Ask how much that will cost.

Bring the car to an auto shop and get it fully serviced for issues that could be worsened by overheating. Have them look at your hoses checked for leaks.

Find out more about different certifications a mechanic may have. If you can find a mechanic that is licensed both in your state and by the A.S.E., find a reliable mechanic who has a certification from the ASE and from your state.

Make sure any authorization form you sign has the price clearly listed before repairs begin. This can make you responsible for payment on any amount filled in by your mechanic filling that space. Know around what a repair will cost are before signing on any papers that you’re going to sign.

Now, you know that you don’t always need mechanics and their high costs to fix many basic auto repair issues. Quite often you can solve basic issues right in your own garage. Try these tips out, and get back to driving sooner than you may think!

Removing car paint is necessary when repainting or restoring an older car and that’s the time you will apply our paint protection. If you’re asking a professional to repaint or restore your car, then you won’t need to worry about doing it yourself. However, if you’re working on your car yourself, knowing how to safely and efficiently remove the paint from it will come in handy.

There are several different methods for removing paint from a car. Shops tend to use machines, such as a high-powered spray that will chip the paint away down to the metal of the car. However, removing paint by yourself at home is usually done manually with sandpaper or with a chemical stripper. Removing manually will, by far, require the most work, and will probably take several days to complete.

Using a chemical method, such as using a chemical paint stripper, is much faster, but must be done carefully so that only the appropriate areas or parts of the car are affected by the stripper.

Warning: It can be dangerous to use paint thinner to take paint off fiberglass is because fiberglass is porous, and the risk of having a solvent soak into the pores to cause discoloration, corrosion, and/or structural damage is high. But there are fiberglass safe paint strippers out there, which, if used properly and with care, can shorten the task at hand.

Depending on the method you choose, with some diligence, craftsmanship, and safety equipment, you can successfully strip the paint off the fiberglass body of your vehicle without causing any damage to the fiberglass itself. Let’s start by using a sander.

Method 1 of 2: Use a dual action sander

Materials Needed

• Acetone
• Cleaning rags
• Drop cloths
• Dual action sander (D/A sanders usually require an air compressor)
• Dust mask or painter’s mask
• Polishing cloth
• Rubber gloves (optional)
• Safety goggles
• Sandpaper of different grits (100 grit and 1,000 grit is best)
• Water

Step 1: Prepare your work area. Prepare your work area by spreading drop cloths to cover the entire workspace.

Since sanding creates lots of fine dust, it is important to remove or cover anything from the workspace you don’t want to get dirty or damaged.

Make sure the vehicle’s windows are all the way up and the doors are tightly shut so you don’t damage the interior. If you’re only working on a certain part of the car, such as a spoiler, you might want to remove it from the car so you don’t damage any parts that are connected to it.

Additionally, if you’re sanding the entire vehicle, make sure you take precautions to protect or remove certain parts of the vehicle that you don’t want to sand. You will want to wear clothes you do not care about and are accustomed to wearing for messy tasks.

Step 2: Apply your protective gear. You don’t want to breathe in fine dust and risk irritating or damaging your respiratory system, nor do want to get dust in your eyes.

It is imperative to have safety goggles and a dust mask or painter’s mask.

Step 3: Sand the top coat of paint. Begin the first round of sanding with a medium grit sandpaper (100 grit is probably the best option here).

Make sure you begin lightly and slowly until you get the feel for the movement.

Once you get into a groove, make sure you don’t sand to hard or too fast in any area; try to keep an even pressure.

Make sure you only sand off the top coat of the paint, and that the job is thorough and completely even.

Warning: Try not to dig any curved surfaces in the fiberglass with the sander. The vehicle’s body will be scarred or misshapen, and further repair (costing you time and money) will be necessary.

Step 4: Polish the laminate. Once you’ve finished the first round of sanding, you’ll want to prepare for the second round.

Attach super-fine grit sandpaper, of somewhere around 1,000 grit, to your dual action sander. The super-fine grit sandpaper will smooth and polish the laminate on the fiberglass.

Again, you will need to adjust to the new feel of the sander with new sandpaper, so start out lightly and slowly until you get in the groove again.

Continue sanding until everything is smooth and evenly sanded.

Step 5: Clean area with acetone. Clean the area(s) of the fiberglass you worked on with acetone and a soft cloth.

For more information apply the acetone to the cloth and wipe until the area is clean and no dust is left behind.

Be sure your workspace is well ventilated and that you keep your protective gear on so you don’t breathe solvent fumes or get them in your eyes.

You might want to wear rubber gloves for this task to protect your skin from irritation.

Warning: Do not drench the cloth(s) in acetone to prevent the acetone from soaking into the pores of the fiberglass, which can cause discoloration, corrosion, and/or structural damage.

Step 6: Wash and dry the sanded area. After you’re done cleaning the fiberglass with acetone, get a bucket of water and a rag and thoroughly wash and dry the worked surfaces again. The fiberglass is now ready to be repainted or repaired.