One thing that you might consider doing is making the interior look brand new along with making your car’s headlights not look foggy. There’s one product on the market that claims to do a good job with these things and it’s called Wipe New. I’ve used it and here’s my review.

Using Wipe New

This stuff is pretty powerful. They suggest wearing latex or rubber gloves and I suggest you do, too. You don’t want it on your hands because it’s difficult to get off. You’re going to throw away the gloves when you’re done, too. I’m no chemist, but I imagine Wipe New works a bit like acetone (nail polish remover) and might sort of slightly melt or dissolve plastic. Again, I’m no chemist and I do not suggest using acetone instead.

They give you some small sponges to use. On the second use, I just cut a cheap household sponge in two and that worked well.

Use just a bit at a time. You need to get the sponge wet but don’t soak it. As you work it on plastic, you’ll know if you are using enough or not. You’ll want to do it on a nice day (not too hot, not too cool out) and in a well ventilated area (there’s a smell but it’s not horrible). You can use it on your dashboard and really anything that’s plastic. Don’t get it on your car’s paint – so go slow around those areas.

On the exterior of your car, you can use it really on anything that’s plastic. Places like door trip are good and the black plastic area where the windshield wipers are is another good place. Also think about areas around the door mirrors, too.

Clear Up Foggy Headlights

Years ago now, car manufacturers came up with these plastic headlights. They’re nice because you just replace the bulb instead of the whole headlight assembly (I remember changing the whole headlamp on my mom’s Cavalier back in the 80s). Those old headlights, though, were made of glass so they didn’t fog up. The newer, plastic ones that you see out there appear to fog up but that’s just really wind and dust and sand and rocks hitting them and marking them up. They appear to look fogged out but in reality, they’re just worn.

A few years back, before Wipe New came out, I tried these headlight restoration kits and got limited results. I also had my headlights de-fogged at the local, full service car wash a few times and that lasted maybe 6 months and I’d have to get it done again. With that system, they using a solution and some sand paper and then finishing it off with some wax and a buffer. With Wipe New, you avoid all that and the results are better.

How to Use It

Just take some Wipe New and carefully apply it to your plastic headlights. Again, be careful around the corners so that you don’t get any on your car’s paint. Use a good amount of it. Once you’re done, you’ll just let it dry for several hours. Don’t try to wipe it dry or wax it or anything – just let it sit… then you’re done and the results are pretty amazing.

The Before and After

I got my BMW recently and it’s a 2009, so the headlights look pretty good still but my friend, Heather, was asking me if I’d help her with cleaning her car’s headlights. She wanted to borrow a drill with a cord since that’s what the directions on her headlight restoration kit called for. I looked and I still had enough Wipe New left over, so I headed over to her place with the drill and the Wipe New and some sponges.

She had some gloves, so we each did a headlight and the results were great. She wanted this done because her lights were getting so foggy that her lights seemed dim at night. Doing this definitely brightened things up.

I did take some before and after pictures of the headlights on her Camry and you can clearly (no pun intended) see the difference. Using Wipe New really cleared them up and the car looks better. Not only that, she’s going to get more light showing through her headlights, making night time driving safer for her and her daughter. Here are those pictures:

Left Headlight – Before and After Wipe New

Right Headlight – Before and After Wipe New

Final Review

I’d give Wipe New a 4.5 out of 5 stars for sure. It’s easy to use, does the job and works really well without a lot of effort. The only downside is the smell and that you have to let it dry a while but that’s a small price to pay for the results you get.

If you’re looking to clear up your foggy headlights, then the $20 (or so) investment into Wipe New is a no brainer. Local car washes and car detailers will charge $40 or more for clearing up your car’s headlights and it doesn’t last as long or look as good as Wipe New.

This is the type of product to use on your car once a year for sure – if you plan to sell it or not. If you are planning on selling your car, then again, it’s a no brainer. The $20 investment will pay off big time. Just make sure you do it a few days before you plan to sell the car and give the car time to air out so that the chemical smell isn’t there as you’re trying to show your car to a potential buyer. They might wonder what that is.

Conclusion

I hope you found this review article beneficial. I used Wipe New on my Acura and then now on Heather’s Camry with great results. I used the product myself and I believe I objectively wrote up this review because there have been plenty of products I’ve tried that haven’t worked out well.

If you liked this article, then please bookmark it and share it with others. If you have comments on using Wipe New or your own review of this product, then please leave your comments below.

It Just Takes 5 Minutes – Do It Yourself!

When you get a car from a local car dealer (usually when you get a used car), the dealer puts their sticker on the trunk or somewhere to help promote their dealership and tell others where you got your great car. The good thing is that you don’t need to have this dealership sticker on your car or truck and it’s actually really easy to remove – it’ll take maybe 5 minutes or so!

Above, I’m showing the before and after pictures when I did it on my car. It really only took about 5 minutes and I was completely done. I wish I would have done this earlier. I guess I thought the decal would still show through somehow or that the paint maybe faded and I still would have seen the logo on the car since the paint under it had been protected more but no – there’s absolutely no indication that the dealership sticker was ever there!

What You Need

To remove the dealer sticker, here’s what you’ll need:

• A hair dryer
• A credit card or squeegee
• Goo Gone
• A rag or cloth

How to Do It

First make sure the area is clean.

Next, plug in the hair dryer and you’re going to warm the sticker up. Turn it on high and go over the sticker area for 30 seconds to a minute.

Next, get your credit card out (or even use your finger nails) and peel away the dealer decal. It should be nice and warm now and come off pretty easily. Keep working at it until you get the major parts of it removed (as much of it as you can).

Once it’s gone, there will be some sticky residue. What I like to use is Goo Gone. This stuff works really well and it something good to have around the house to remove sticker residue from price tags or whatever – so it’s worth just having a bottle of this stuff around the house. Spray the area, let it sit a few seconds and then wipe it.

If there is still some residue, then spray it again and wipe. It should all come off.

You’re done!

Unless the sticker has been on there a really long time, it should have come cleanly off and you shouldn’t be able to tell it was even there.

Removing these stickers is easy. Really anyone can do it, so there’s no reason to pay an auto detailer money to do it. You’re also increasing the value of your car because it looks cleaner to a buyer who comes to look at it. That’s your goal – to have as clean of a car as you can and one that looks as close to new as possible. This will help the buyer visualize them self in it, driving it and owning it.

How-to Video

Sometimes seeing something done helps you understand how to do it better. It makes more sense than reading some instructions – most of us are more visual learners anyway.

Below, you will find a video showing you how to remove dealer stickers from your car – just follow what he does and, along with the instructions here, you’ll have that decal removed in no time!

Remove Stickers from Glass

You may also have some stickers on the glass of your car (like the windshield) that you might want removed. Doing it is easy, too. You might as well do this task at the same time and get the car totally clean. This can include parking stickers, state park stickers or even residue from your state’s toll road unit that you stick onto your windshield.

What You Need

• A razor scraper
• Window cleaner
• Paper towels

How to Do It

You’ll first spray down the sticker and area with a good amount of window cleaner. I like to soak the area pretty well.

Next, use your razor scraper to remove the sticker. Start at an edge and slowly scrape. You may need to apply more window cleaner a few times but it should all come off. When you scrape the glass, you’re not damaging it – the glass can take it.

Use paper towels to clean up and you’re done! If there’s still a little residue, then either keep scraping or else try some of the Goo Gone and that should clean it all up for sure.

Conclusion – Removing Stickers

There’s really no need to have these stickers on your car. They just clutter it up. By removing them, you clean up the appearance of your car and make it look nicer. This, of course, applies to a car you’re trying to sell and the next one you pick up from a dealer or a used car lot.

I hope this article helped you. If it did, let us know and leave a comment. If we forgot something or if you have a tip that will help others, please leave that below. Don’t forget to share this article with others!

You couldn’t possibly stay home the whole of winter and not go to work although in the coldest of days, you just want to spend your time lazing about in bed. For these times that you must and have to go out, you can winterize your car to ensure that you’re on the road safe, you ensure that you’re keeping your car in a good condition and you keep yourself away from expensive repair costs.

Regardless of the type of vehicle you drive, you’ll have a few tips to use when you’re driving in cold winter days. You can find these tips and recommendations on your vehicles manual. Keep this manual in your car and if you have time, read thoroughly on it. Take note of things like fuel consumption, maintenance and how to keep your car in tune even in the coldest of temperature. The more you know about winter car maintenance, the better you and your family will be when you’re riding out in winter.

Here are some tips for ensuring your car is in perfect running order in winter:

1. When you go out for routine maintenance, put a little extra effort for your battery and charging system in the winter season. Make sure they’re working efficiently. You see in the wintertime, the cranking power your battery gives out is greatly reduced. You’re going to have problems with starting your car if you don’t check on this in routine maintenance in winter. Make sure you bring a portable power pack or quality jumper cables in the trunk of your car when you’re driving in the cold.
2. Other parts to check into are your heater and your defrosters. Make sure they’re in good operating condition. Also, check your wiper blades.If they’re brittle or worn, replace them. If they’re smeary, replace them. It will be hard for you to see if your wipers don’t work well.
3. Winter driving will be easier for you if you check your filters, hoses and coolant. Filters for gas, air and oil have to be in good condition and your coolant level as well as your hermostat has to be fully functional so you can guarantee proper engine warmup. After every two years, your coolant has to be changed. Don’t forget your coolant tank pressure cap or your radiator cap. Hoses with leaks on it or feel soft need to be replaced.
4. One of the important things to remember before driving out in winter is lubrication. Use something like a multiviscosity oil like Mobil 1 0W30 or the 5W30. This will help you with engine startup. When temperature goes below zero, you need to have lubrication like fully synthetic oils to protect your engine. A tip to note is that when you use low viscosity oil, you have more speed with startup and you also reduce wear and tear on your car engine parts when the oil flows quickly in startup.
5. With regard to the condition of your tires, tread and pressure matter when you’re driving in cold weather. Check your tires for wear. Just like in normal temperatures, your tire air pressure has to be exact, anything over or under the recommended pressure is undesirable. You’ll be wearing your tire out more and using up more fuel if your tires are low in pressure. Overinflation and you reduce traction for your tires which can be very dangerous for you when you’re driving on icy roads. Tread matters so if you live in a place where there’s heavy snowfall, think about getting snow tires.
6. Vehicle warmup is another way to ensure the upkeep of your car in winter. When you start your car, run it idly for a few seconds. This will ensure that lubrication has already gone through the engine and this provides you with protection. Again, it’s only for a few seconds. If you keep your car running idly for a long time, you’re will be wasting fuel and it will do nothing for your car. After a few idle moments, drive extra slowly.
7. This next tip for winter car maintenance relates to number six. You have to drive slowly. Keep yourself within bounds of speed limits and if possible drive a notch or two slower than that. Drive a distance away from other cars. Pace yourself while your drive so you don’t need to make sudden stops. Remember, you’ll have mostly icy or wet road conditions to deal with and your car will have the tendency to slip before stopping entirely.
8. If you live in a place where snow comes in spades, have a few tools with you when you drive like de-icers, window ice scrapers, and a small shovel. Keep these tools in your trunk. You’ll use the de-icers for your locks just in case and if you have to dig out of snow, you can do it with ease using your shovel. It’s also good for your car if you keep a bag of sand in the trunk. This will provide you with traction if you have a rear wheel drive vehicle. Sprinkle the sand on the snow or ice if you need traction. Pack a blanket along in your car. That’s just in case you get stuck in a snow storm.
9. Drive in the snow fully equipped and this means, your rear window defroster has to be in good working order. Keep your window washer reservoir full. In your attempt to see clearly in inclement weather, these two thing will guarantee that. Don’t forget to check your fuel levels before you set out. You don’t want to get stranded in heavy snowfall.
10. Lastly, clean your car out of ice and snow and we mean your whole car.

With so many things to look out for and so many ways to take care of your car, the question now is where do you start and what do you do at certain points in time. With a car maintenance schedule, you’ll make sure that every part of your car is looked after and you’ll know exactly which part to have checked up at specific times.

1. The first thing you have to check off the list of car maintenance is car wash. This is the simplest and also the cheapest car job you can do in the way of maintenance. You can do it yourself on your free days or you can go to a car wash center. You’ll only be paying somewhere $5 to $10 per washing.
2. The next items to take care of with car maintenance happen every week or every time to you go to the gas station to refuel. Check your car fluid levels and fluids cover for oil, coolant, wiper fluid and power steering fluid. If they need to be replaced, go ahead and replace them. This will help with your goal of increasing the life of your car and it also helps preserve your car engine’s character. Don’t forget to use quality branded engine oil. One that’s synthetic oil treated and has additives will help control the friction in your engine. Again, check car fluid levels when you go for a gas fill up. You should also check car fluid levels before you go on a long trip. It will cost you somewhere between $50 and $120 to get an oil change.
3. You also have to check your tire condition, pressure and alignment while you’re at the gas station for a fill up. When your tires are properly inflated, it will help you with regard to fuel economy, it improves it. Alignment helps improve gas mileage for your car and this will only cost you about $60.
4. When your car mileage hits 3,000, or after three months, it’s time to change engine oil and filter. With air and fuel filters, you’re keeping things in check so that no harm is caused to your car engine. This will cost about $10 to $15 for air filters. You have to check hoses for any bulging or leaking and you also have to check the wiper blades.For the tires, tread depth has to be looked into too. Battery terminals as well as the cables should be checked for corrosion. While the battery is the most important part of a car, it can be the most ignored part. If you take care of the battery, paying about $50 to $120 for its care, you’ll have a longer battery life.
5. After six months have passed or every time you rake up 7,500 more miles on your mileage, it’s time for you to get a check up on your service battery, the rotation and balance of your tires and the wear of your brake pad. Again, car for your battery will increase its life and it will only cost you $50 to $120 to look into the condition of your batteries. Your brake pad can be at the mercy of your foot and it needs to be replaced every six months.You ensure a smoother ride when you have your tires checked for rotation and balance and this will cost you $60 and for the suspension work on your car as it relates to alignment, it will be worth $60 to $100. If the suspension system needs to be replaced you need to shell out $1000 to $2000 or more if you drive a luxury car.
6. Every year or every 15,000 miles, car maintenance consists of flushing and filling transmission fluid and changing the transmission filter. You also have to replace the air and fuel filters at this time. PCV and breather elements need to be replaced as well as the carbon canister filter. Again, in maintaining the integrity of your car’s filters will amount to $10 to $15 for the air filters and fuel filter change will be worth about $25.This is also the time to lubricate the parking brake, locks, hinges and doors of your car. Go ahead and check your car’s lignment as well as the CV joint boots of your car.
7. After two years or with every 30,000 miles listed on your mileage counter, your radiator coolant must be flushed and replaced. Brake fluid should also be flushed and refilled. The parts of your car like the distributor cap, wires, rotor, spark plugs, differential/transfer case fluid and the cabin air filter have to be replaced as well. Finally, for the two year car maintenance, you have to inspect the exhaust system of your car.The small parts will be fairly priced and inspection can also be done for you by your mechanic for a small amount.
8. When four years have passed or with every 60,000 miles added to your mileage counter, the power steering fluid of your car has to be flushed and refilled. The timing belt or chain also has to be replaced. If your car has a long warranty, you can get the parts you need replaced for a discount and you can get labor charges on your car waived.

It takes a little bit of effort to making sure your car is in top condition. With the little things you do, you’ll be saving yourself a lot of money from having to get your car repaired or having to buy a new car because you’ll be lengthening your car’s life using the car maintenance schedule. Little attentions here and there go a long way.

Of all the exterior parts of the car, the tires are the ones that get dirty the most since they are in contact with the ground all the time. They get dirty whether you drive your car or not. But while cleaning the tires is essential in maintaining its good looks, making it look like brand new is even better. The trick to that is to give your car tires a nice shine just like when you first got it.

What Can You Use?
There is more than one way to achieve that brand-new shine look on your car tires. It is just a matter of what suits your taste and preference (and your budget as well).

Spray-on
One of the most popular tire shine products available are the spray-on kinds. The solution is in a bottle with a sprayer and nozzle on top. Many prefer to use it because it is very easy to apply on the tires. You can just spray it directly on the tires and wipe it after a couple of minutes. To make an even distribution over the whole tire, do not spray too close to the tire. Also, spray with a sweeping motion to cover a bigger area of the tire and not just spray on one spot at a time. When applied correctly, you can achieve a nice wet look gloss off your car tires. However, some brands of spray-on tire shine leave stains when it gets on your side panels. You should wipe it off immediately. It would help if you apply it inside the garage so the breeze will not scatter the mist. If you keep getting it on your side panels and rims, apply it on a sponge or piece of cloth first and use it to apply the solution on your tires.

Gel
In terms of long-lasting effect, many gel products do better than spray-ons. They last for more than a week even through the rain and even through carwash. They are not as easy to apply and may take longer since you need to use an applicator, a sponge or terry cloth but others prefer it that way since it  gives them control on how much of the gel is used. The gel gives a nice black color to the tires without a very glossy effect. However, if you do want more gloss, you can apply a second coating after a few minutes. Do not drive your car right after applying the gel. Many formulas are silicone-based and can attract dust and dirt when still wet. Gel tire shine products are usually more expensive than other similar products.

Foam
Foam tire shine products also come with a spray nozzle. It is also very easy to apply, perhaps easier than the other spray-on kinds. It even helps clean your tires off from the dirt that your pre-wash was not able to remove. Just wipe the foam after a couple of minutes and your tires are clean and shiny. However, be careful with some products that may turn your tires brown or yellow. Some tires really do not agree with certain tire shine products so you may have to try a new product.

How To Do It
Most tire shine products have their own application procedures printed somewhere on the container, but in general, here are the steps in achieving that fine shine you want your car tires to have. Clean your tires first before the rest of the car. Even if you spray dirty suds or water on your side panels, it is fine since you will clean them next. Pay attention to the wells and grooves that your tires have. They collect a lot of dirt so they might need some extra scrubbing.

Wait till the tire is dry or at least not too wet from the washing. Spray your chosen tire shine product evenly on the side of the tires. Leave it on for a minute or two and then wipe it using a sponge or a terry-cloth, distributing it evenly across the tire wall and removing any overspray.

Conclusion
Making your tires look shiny is a very easy thing to achieve. But before trying on any product on your tires, ask your friends who might have used them, or look for some reviews online. If you cannot find any, do not be afraid to start the topic yourself. Many car maintenance forums are eager to help and answer your questions with regard to tire shine products. Your product choice depends on how long it keeps your tire look good without any build up of residue, or formation of slings on your rims or side panels; the affordability of the product; and how shiny you want your tire to look.

Other Car Tips
Your car tires or body are not the only parts that need protectant. Some little unnoticed parts like the weatherstripping need it too to keep the rubber in good condition and make it last longer. That way you are safe from the elements. Apply rubber protectant once in a while to keep your weatherstripping from cracking or tearing.

If you’ve got an automated hard top, the hassle is hardly as relevant. However, if you’ve chosen a soft top as your preferred solution—you’ve got a little maintenance to do. Don’t fear, however, as the duty certainly does not need to be seriously strenuous. We’ve outlined and detailed some of the most important things to keep in mind about convertible top care below.

Vinyl Tops

If you’ve got a vinyl top, you’ll need to clean it regularly, but don’t worry: it’s as easy as washing a car. You’ll want to make use of a gentle car shampoo such as Pinnacle Bodywork Shampoo. Also recommended would be the Green Long-Handle Tire & Wheel Brush with featured bristles to eliminate dirt from areas of textures vinyl on your convertible top. Make sure to wash the top of the car just like you’d clean any other part of it, but avoid shampoos that improve gloss on the top. While they can be a fine treat for the painted areas of the body, they do nothing for vinyl convertible tops.

If you find your top to be too dirty for everyday use, you can also try using a cleaner to get rid of the grease and films that plague the vinyl top. 303 Convertible Top Cleaner is a very flexible cleaning liquid that can be used for both vinyl and fabric. The beauty in the detail is that it contains no soap or detergent, and yet cleans effectively. RaggTopp is also a suitable solution to cleaning convertible tops as it not only cleans, but in addition stalls the growth of mildew. Just spray the top with some water and spray clear with cleaner before brushing and scrubbing the vinyl gently yet thoroughly.

When finished cleaning the vinyl, we recommend utilizing a vinyl protection product to keep the color and texture of the top at its original and finest condition. If this step is not carried out carefully, the top may easily become faded or cracked. A product to keep in mind would be RaggTopp Vinyl Protectant, as it is critically acclaimed by multiple manufacturers of vinyl products, such as Haartz and Colgan Custom Bars. It has the finest UV protection of any market competitors and is efficient in repelling dirt, grease, and oil. That means it cleans and purifies your top without leaving it too glossy or grease. The sheen and appearance of your vinyl top will be completely natural and attractive.

Like anything else, however, the protection of your vinyl top can be a full time thing to consider. It’s best to just keep it protected from the start to prevent as serious wear and tear. There are not all too many measures you can take to reverse damage once it’s been done—so do everything in your power to prevent it. Caring for your vinyl top can be as easy as a weekly wash and the use of gentle shampoo and monthly servings of vinyl top cleaner and protection liquid.

Fabric Tops

In many ways fabric top maintenance is very similar to the caring of a vinyl top, with the exception that you’ll need to select fabric specialized products. Convertible top cleaners are typically well suited for either type of top, be it vinyl or fabric. For the purposes of a fabric top, we would recommend a decently stiff brush, for instance: the Green Long-Handle Tire & Wheel Brush. You’ll find it effectively loosens and eliminates dirt stuck inside the fibers.

You’ll find it quite remarkable how well fabric tops can repel water; they are incredibly well constructed to keep water out! Unfortunately, the tops do age with time. The tops are simply infused with chemicals during production that assure they will repel water and any sort of contaminators. However, the presence and effectiveness of these chemicals wear down with time. The longevity these tops and chemicals is all dependent on how often you use the top and in what environment it is used, so monitor its progress and how well it is weathering your local conditions. With regular washing your top will reveal an eventual reduction of its water repellence, so stay alert. Watch carefully for any signs of puddles or wet spots where the fabric has been visibly penetrated by moisture. If you notice signs of serious wear and tear, it’s definitely time to treat your top.

When it comes to treating a fabric top, it’s best to be careful and get the best of the best for your beloved vehicle. In our testing, we’ve confirmed RaggTop to be the finest treatment product on the current market.

Also worth looking at is 303 High Tech Fabric. In reality, both products will do great things in restoring your top to its factory repellence and quality, keeping it look at its finest at all times. Make sure to apply protection formula to it often to keep your top dry and always clean. Avoid over doing it though, apply lightly and gently, the smallest coats are usually the best. Make sure to treat on a monthly basis to keep its repellence level up to date and adequate.

You and Your Top!

When it’s all said and done, if you want your soft top to be well maintained and fresh, you’ll need to put some care into it. Periodic washes will be necessary, but not too heavy a responsibility. Just by purchasing a few sprays and dedicating some time to your beloved convertible top, you can assure its functional longevity and physical appeal!