Any car owner knows that the secret to stopping your car from losing its value is by giving it the care and attention it deserves. And no-one’s a greater expert on car care than Meguiar’s UK, offering specialist solutions to all kinds of motoring wear and tear.

This week, the Car Loan Warehouse team interviewed the experts at Meguiar’s about their innovative car care solutions, sharing their advice on how drivers can achieve the perfect DIY car wash and revive that new car sparkle.

1) Can you tell us a little about Meguiar’s history and what makes the

company special?

Frank Meguiar, Jr created the very first Meguiar’s products in 1901 with the help of his family, a whisk and a tin bath tub. The very first Meguiar’s product was, in fact, a furniture polish. As the company grew, Frank, Malcolm and Maurice Meguiar (three of Frank Meguiar, Jr sons) joined the family business and began selling Meguiar’s Car Care products to the professional body shops, detailers and car dealers. The swinging 60s saw Meguiar’s products start to be used by show car owners and, in 1973, Meguiar’s launched their first consumer product, Cleaner Wax.

The 80s saw the Meguiar’s Classic consumer line launched and Meguiar’s open various offices across the globe, making it a true international business. The 90s saw the launch of the Premium Gold Class line and, in 2004, Meguiar’s launched the ground breaking fully synthetic NXT line. In 2010, Meguiar’s launched the Ultimate line of products, which, simply put, are Meguiar’s most technologically advanced and best performing products.

And the rest, as they say, is history…

2) Can you share your tips for the perfect car wash by hand?

There are some simple dos and don’ts to car washing that will make the process quick, easy and swirl free:

Do:

Wash the car from top to bottom. The lower sill of the car are typically the most dirty and should be washed last.

Use a pH neutral shampoos that do not strip wax.

Wash the vehicle in the shade.

Use a wash mitt

Wash the vehicle.

Rinse the car with clean water and dry with a Water Magnet for spot free results.

Do use a bucket and a grit guard. This will stop the dirt being swirled back up into your paint.

Don’t:

Use dishwashing detergent, this will strip wax from the paint and speed up oxidation (paint fading).

Don’t wash the car in direct sunlight.

Don’t use a sponge as most swirl marks are created by them.

Don’t throw the remainder of the wash solution back over a washed car.

3) Many of our customers are buying a new car, what can they do to protect

their investment, are there any treatments or polishes that can be applied

to provide long term protection?

Meguiar’s mantra is frequent car care is easy car care. By applying and using good washing techniques and regularly applying a wax to the car, customers can keep their investments looking great. In order to get the best level of protection, Meguiar’s advise applying our Ultimate Wax (which can be used on any coloured car) at least once every 2-3 months to ensure that the paint is well protected from the elements and road grime. In between these regular waxing intervals customers can also use top up spray waxes, such as Ultimate Quick Wax to maintain the paint in between regular waxing.

4) When buying a used car, the paint has often lost its shine, is there

anything buyers can do to bring back that showroom sparkle?

Yes, Meguiar’s have various products that can help revive tired and faded paint. The first is a clay bar and, although still relatively new to the UK market, it has been a revolution since its launch. Meguiar’s clay is derived from china clay and is a way to quickly and easily remove any type of fallout that has landed on the paint from tree sap to road tar, without abrading the paint. Typically, the panels most susceptible to this fallout or rough paint will be the bonnet, roof and boot. Once removed, the paint will become clearer and polishes and waxes will be much easier to apply and remove. Once the car has been clayed, it is time to restore the colour and remove scratches and swirls by using Ultimate Compound.

5) When it comes to scratches and marks in paintwork, is there anything

that drivers can do at home to repair or minimise the appearance of the

scratch?

In order to minimise scratches and swirls, follow the dos and don’ts of car washing – however, removing scratches can be done quickly and easily by using Meguiar’s Ultimate Compound. This product will deep clean the paint and remove any faded paint as well as removing scratches and swirls. This product is what Meguiar’s call clear coat safe. What does that mean? It means that this product will not scour or damage the paint finish like some traditional rubbing compounds, and will leave your paint looking as good as new. Just make sure to apply a coat of wax after applying this product to the paint, to protect that show car shine you’ve just created.

Think your car needs some TLC? In that case, Meguiar’s is guaranteed to have just the thing for your tired ride. That’s what makes them the car care experts.

Perhaps it’s time for a new car? The Car Loan Warehouse are experts when it comes to car finance, working with dealers and lenders to find you the best financing option on your next car. Try our quick and easy car loan calculator for an instant quote.