- Body Panels/Paint

To keep your car in tip-top condition regular cleaning and waxing is a must for protecting the paint-work from the elements. Before you begin washing your car it's best to hose off any lose dirt/mud that may have accumulated - avoid pointing high pressure water jets directly at windows seals etc. The use of clean grit-free applicators (sponges etc.) and plenty of clean water (preferably mixed with quality car shampoo) is essential to ensure you don't cause fine scratches to the paint in the process of washing your car. Naturally the same applies when you dry the car with a Chamois leather - wash it out regularly, there's no point in making the polishing process harder than is need be! :)

Ideally, after thoroughly washing and drying your car it's preferable to protect the paint-work as much as possible from the elements. The most common way of doing this is of course using a quality polish/waxing product and a little hard work. Depending on the quality and type of polish/wax used it may be a few weeks or even months before a re-application of wax is required.

Types of Polish...

• Carnuba Wax - Carnuba wax is the hardest natural wax known to man. The quality and depth of shine from Carnuba based polishing and waxing products is very high and long lasting. However, because of their origin, Carnuba or natural based products generally take more effort to use and are typically even more expensive than their synthetic alternatives.

• Synthetic/Polymer - By design such products are fairly easy to work with, produce varying degrees of finish (depending on quality of the product) and range in price to suit most pockets. However, even the higher quality synthetic polishes start to wash off after half a dozen or so regular washes so re-application is more frequent than with Carnuba based products. Applying synthetic polishes to dark non-painted trim also results in unsightly white deposits of polish on the trim which is hard to remove.

- Hood

There is a tendency for dust to accumulate in the fibres of the MGF's soft-top, use a domestic vacuum cleaner to hoover out as much dust as possible before using a small amount of mild warm soapy water to wash the hood. Use plenty of water to rinse the hood and wash-out any soap suds. For longer term protection and hood maintenance use a specially design product for first cleaning the hood then to re-treat the hood fabric with a water repellant.

- Wheels/Tyres

Cleaning brake dust and road grime from alloy wheels can it times be difficult unless you start using products designed specifically for this job. However, it has been known for such products to cause damage to the lacquer protecting the wheels from corrosion so ideally their use is best avoided or kept to a minimum. An excellent tip is to use a suitable car body-work wax to protect the wheels from dirt in the first place. Alloy wheels that have been treated with a coating of wax are much easier to keep clean, often you only need plain water or diluted bodywork shampoo.

Tyres are very often overlooked when it comes to car cleaning, but if you use the right product they are also the easiest ones to give that fresh as-new look! Use Auto-Glyms Instant Tyre Dressing (or alternative product) to give your otherwise clean car that extra finishing off - as if it had just left the show-room. :)

- Windows

As with all areas of car cleaning there are a seemingly infinite number of products for cleaning car windows. Likewise some of these products are very good and some just a waste of money. Again, like wheels/tyres windows are another areas that don't necessarily received the treatment they deserve, often a quick wipe with a damp cloth/chamois is thought sufficient. For safety reasons alone crystal-clear all-round visibility is a must in any car - the MGF is no exception. Auto-Glym's Car Glass Polish, is the only product I've used so far that leaves glass totally clear and smear free.

Even when new, the MGF's plastic rear window does not take long to become tarnished and takes on a milky appearance. In this milky state visibility through the rear window can be severely impaired particularly when there is a light source behind the car. Unfortunately, while some general purpose windows cleaners are suitable for use on plastic screens, they are rarely (if at all) capable of removing this milky tarnish. One of the most popular products for returning the rear screen to its former milky-free clear state is Greygate's Plastic Polish. Alternative products, not designed for cleaning plastic windows, are known to have been used to clean the MGF's plastic rear window - Auto-Glym's Super Polish Resin, Mer or Swarfega.

Note: Before using any cleaning product make sure you read its packaging/instructions for details on what application(s) it is suitable for - using an inappropriate product may cause irreparable damage. Always test a small inconspicuous area when using products not designed specifically for the application in which it is about to be used. e.g. using Mer polish on the rear screen!

- Recommended Cleaning Products

• Bodywork Shampoo - Auto-Gylm Shampoo and conditioner.
• Bodywork Polish - Auto-Gylm Super Resin Polish or Mer.
• Bodywork Wax - For best results/lasting effect use a Carnuba based product.
• Glass Windows - Auto-Glym Car Glass Polish or Auto-Glym Fast Glass.
• Plastic/Rear Window - Greygate Plastic Polish or Auto-Glym Super Polish Resin.
• Interior Trim - Auto Glym Vinyl & Rubber Care.
• Leather seats/trim -Auto Glym Leather Care Cream.
• Wheels - Wonder wheels or Auto-Gylms Wheel Cleaner.
• Tyres - Auto Glym instant Tyre Dressing.

9th May 2001 - Paul Lathwell