Car Cleaning and Maintenance Products

The latest and best

Automotive products tested and reviewed by

Fred-in-the-shed

Updated 10th January 2012

LONG TERM ROADTEST

    CHRYSLER 300C SRT DESIGN COMPARED TO STANDARD MODEL

 

Welcome to my new page where it test and review all the best products for car valeting and simple maintenance tasks.

I am a 40 something self confessed petrol head and have owned nearly 100 cars and motorbikes in my lifetime. I currently own a Chrysler 300c, a Mini Cooper S convertible and a Polaris Quadbike.I like to keep my motors in tip top condition and keep them out of expensive main dealer garages whenever possible.

Over the years I have bought nearly every type of gadget and device for car care and have been disappointed with most of them.  Hopefully this page will help you save time and money by learning from my mistakes. If you have some tips you would like to share with me and the Fredshed readers please mail them in.

 

NEW PRODUCT

Silicone Rescue tape

This new product was developed for the US navy to repair leaks and holes in boats. It is now available to everyone and is a potentially lifesaving product that will make a valuable addition to every boat owner and auto repairers tool kit.

The MAGIC property of this tape is that it melts into itself and forms a very strong, watertight and heat resistant seal.

The tape comes in a reel and is not sticky in any way. Only when you stretch it does it begin to melt , stick together and form a seal.

I deliberately cut a hole in this hose and repaired it with great success.

I am very impressed with this new technology product and will be reporting on its long term performance.

* it can be applied to wet material - even underwater!

 

 

This tape is water, petrol and oil resistant.

Can be used for emergency repairs of hoses, pipes and cables

Available in different lengths and colours

 
   

CAR CLEANING TIPS -

 

Step one - removing filth!

Carwashes - the naked truth!

ARC carwash puts muck all over Fred's new Chrysler 300c!

As my Chrysler  300c is a bit of a beast and ARC built a new carwash near my local Tesco I decided to try it for a quick wash.

After spending £.3.50 and waiting 15 minutes I was horrified to discover that when I got home and parked the beast it was covered in grey stains that were unsightly and very hard to remove.

I returned and questioned the attendant, who said  that at busy weekends the carwash gets speeded up and the water which is recycled does not get a chance to get cleaned.

So thanks ARC for charging me £3.50 to cover my car in other people's dirty water and wasting my time.

Car wash-verses hand wash

Although time consuming hand washing  will put you in touch with your vehicle's paintwork and let you spot problems early. Although a carwash requires less effort over time the whipping by a thousand nylon brushes  can scratch and dull your paintwork.

 True car buffs NEVER use a carwash.

However if you do use a carwash never use the wash AND wax facility - because it waxes  your windows  too!. The next time you put your wipers on your windows will be smeared and as you crash into the back of that truck you will realise you just wasted £6 Doh!

If your car is really filthy the first step is to remove this muck without causing abrasion. I mostly use a simple hose and spray gun, or if it is really bad you could use a pressure washer. If you don't have either a bucket and sponge will do but use PLENTY OF WATER.

 

I am told that the pro's now use car wash mitts and I have acquired one to try. The one I have is made from microfibres and should clean better than a sponge - but I'm not convinced.

Also never wash any microfible cloth using fabric conditioner - it will permanently ruin its absorbent qualities.

 

 

Step one - removing filth  - continued

Pressure washers

Having tried many of pressure washers over many years I have come to the conclusion that the small ones are a waste of time -  that's why I don't feature or promote them on my website. Also pressure washers are prone to failure and most are a pain in the Iris to store due to miles of unruly hose and cable.

However if you get a good one they can be handy and do a great job on slimy patios, muddy cars and garden furniture.

Karcher - The brand leader in Pressure washers

. Karcher are a German company and the recognised brand leader in pressure washers. This does not mean that every Karcher product is the best

As Karcher specialise in powered cleaning products you can be sure you are getting a well researched and reliable tool and not just a "me too copy from the far East. Also they supply  parts and accessories from their UK HQ in Banbury, Oxfordshire.

Many of my readers use Karcher pressure washers and the feedback is very good. I am now testing the superb new Bosch  Clic 140 pressure washer with rewind able cord and hose reel. It also has the best spray lance I have ever seen. Watch this space or mail me for more details.

Nilfisk are another company making pressure washers although they are not so well known in the domestic market. Their mid price pressure washers kits are very good value and have excellent reader reveiws.

use the links in the boxes below for the latest and most popular pressure washers

 

 

 f

check price on the Bosch Aquatak 115 plus

 

 

This is my neighbour Annette with cleaning her land rover with a Karcher pressure washer

The new Bosch Clic 140 blasting the alloys on my first 300c

 

The superb spray wand and retractable hose.

 

Step 2 - Shampoo, rinse and dry off

You cant beat a bucket and sponge!

Use a quality shampoo like autoglym car shampoo, a quality sponge or car wash mit.

I also like this excellent Kent Car Care Dip & Wash brush for the hard to reach areas.

As a teenager  I worked for Ford preparing new cars for the September rush and was taught how to professionally clean and valet cars. It was a horrible job but I did get to crash a brand new Fiesta!

My number one tip is use plenty of water, change buckets regularly and dry off with a silicone strip and finish with a leather shammy. (chamois )

Another great new product and a must have for car washing fanatics is the silicon blade to dry the car after rinsing. I have tried a couple of these but the best is easily the original autoglym flexi water blade  - made in the USA

 

 

Use the soft silicone California Water blade to quickly dry off your rinsed car before the water dries and leaves waterspots!

The Karcher WV50 window vacuum is great on cars too. If your car is not too curvy then it is fantastic at drying off after rinsing and can do windows straight from soaping!

click here for price and more details

 

 

 

Alloy Wheel Cleaning Tips

I think it's sacrilege to have cool alloy wheels and then drive around with them caked in crud! Also the crud on your wheels contains corrosive particles of brake lining that need hardcore chemicals to shift. For this reason it is important that whatever you use to clean them does not come into contact with your paintwork.

I use a separate special brush from Hozelock that attaches to my hosepipe and allows the crud to be washed away. If you do this regularly there is no need to use any chemicals!

TOP TIP

WHILST CLEANING YOUR WHEELS MAKE IT A RULE TO CHECK YOUR TYRE PRESSURE

THIS WILL SAVE YOU MONEY ON  RUBBER AND FUEL!

Best Tyre Cleaning Product

My Chips away man Shaz who has the shiniest sparkly car says this Tyre Magic is even better than the Armourall tyre foam I usually use.

The Tyre magic is expensive but also contains Supplexin that protects the rubber as well as giving it that new shiny look.

 

 

 

 

Step 3 - Polishing

Usually I can't be bothered to do this and prefer to go to the pub or something. Also if your car has been well polished before there is no reason to polish every time you wash it. A good quality polish like the Autoglym  will stay on and protect your car's paintwork for months.

Another product/service I can really recommend is the Autoglym lifeshine treatment that came as a £300 extra on my mini-cooper. With this treatment you only need to wash the car regularly and it looks like it has been polished! Also water and dirt seem to be repelled and mostly run off the car.

I have 2 cars and notice a big difference with the one that has had the lifeshine treatment. I wish I had paid the £300 and had the other one done when it was new.

 

 

Rags,  Buffing and polishing tips

Luckily for my cars I only wear 100% cotton t shirts and these make great polishing cloths.

Do not attempt to apply polish in direct sunlight, it will go hard quickly and be a pain to remove.

Rub the polish in and let dry before buffing off 10 minutes later. As with washing - use plenty of rag and elbow grease!

You can buy buffing machines but I think these are for pussies so I never use.

 

Best Vacuum for Cleaning Cars

There is no doubt that a mains powered vacuum with a crevice tool and stiff brush is the best way to vacuum the interior of a car.

However sometimes you just want a quick clean up or cant get mains electricity and then a cordless vacuum is required.

Sadly carpets in cars really grip dirt and even more sadly most cordless vacuums are underpowered, useless, soon to be landfill, rubbish.

I have tested dozens and the only one I would bother to use is the Black & Decker dustbuster pivot 12v or better still the 14.4v version shown right.

The 12v version is also available with a car adapter so you can run it off your lighter socket and not worry about battery power.

If you get the normal 12v one you can use it in the house and workshop too.

The exceptional feature of this product is its superb washable filters.

Dyson DC16 Handheld (21volt) and New Dyson DC31

And the Latest DC35!

I used the original DC16 for a year, I liked the power and easy emptying feature.

This is the "big daddy" of the cordless vacuum cleaners as it has the most power at 21volts and a Lithium ion battery that recharges in 3.5 hours.

Whilst I have no doubt that it has the best and most consistent suction,  it is large, and the battery duration is very short at around 6 minutes. This is because a big motor (and hence a big battery) is needed to power the dual cyclone that is unique to Dyson.

A breakthrough in technology with looks to match. This hand vac is ideal for small clean-ups and use in caravans, boats etc but remember it is not designed to replace your main vacuum cleaner.

I am liking this "gun like" cordless vac for quick clean ups as it is very powerful and I like the filtration and emptying features. The brush attachment is too soft for my liking and the trigger has to he held in and cannot be locked on. Otherwise it is good, but I still prefer the Black & Decker for cleaning the cars.

Dyson attempt to resolve the problem by bringing out new model with 2 speeds and new motor. However it has the same sort of battery and charger so I am not getting too excited about it. The Ergonomics are improved and it is lighter.  (DC30 is the single speed digital motor 14.4v and DC31 is 22v , 2 speed). The new DC35 looks like the best of the bunch with its long extension and powered head to save you bending down and enabling larger areas of floor to be cleaned on each charge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

END OF THE CAR CLEANING TIPS.

 

 

Vehicles For sale -

 

For Sale - Polaris Quad 325cc - Road Legal

4 stroke -automatic- can be driven by hand

only 500 miles from new, £1400.

 

Top Tips This Month

Be prepared for more snow- buy a shovel for car and home now!

 

 

Also for sale Cowal push pull handcontrols to fit Mk3 Golf £50

 
                 If you found my advice helpful please come back and use my links when purchasing.

Or if you have any questions about the products on this page

e-mail fred@fredshed.com

 

 

  

The new Black and Decker Auto wrench is another excellent tool for working on motors

 

 

Cordless Dremel - Ideal for small bodywork jobs

For sanding small hard to reach areas of car bodywork I use the cordless Dremel tool. It is also useful for cutting off small bolts and screws or any bit of rusty metal.

There are many similar tools on the market but I think the Dremel is the only cordless one worth having due to its excellent battery.

Dremel is made by Bosch of Germany

Dremel 7800 multipro cordless

Now with Lithium ION battery!

 

 

Aftermarket Car Products

Car customising and audio upgrades

Fredshed recommended supplier

 As a young man (some time ago) I was very attracted to customising my vehicles and fell victim to a number of fashion trends - from furry steering wheel covers to "A Team stripes" and more recently induction kits, chipping and powerflow exhausts.

After many road miles I have finally grown up and realise that manufacturers like VW with years of experience probably know better than a spotty youth  in a Croydon shed. A lot of the aftermarket car customising products are crap - simple as that.

Occasionally legislation or economics can prevent a manufacturer from fitting the best equipment and it is here that the customisers may be useful. The problem is , how do you decide which goodies will actually enhance you car, and which will make you look like a pratt - with an empty wallet?

The best purchases for me have been car audio and fitting larger wheels to improve handling.

I buy all my kit and take advice form my car care guru Ken from Marston Autoparts in Oxford.

Ken has been in this business for over 20 years and I value his experience greatly. If you are thinking of buying any customising product or car audio (or alarms) then I can recommend this company.

9 years ago ken fitted a superb Pioneer minidisk player in my Golf and it still sounds incredible.

I also bought my 17 inch black widow wheels with low profile tyres that have improved the handling of my VR6 by giving more traction and less roll.

 

Martson Autoparts also stock all the best car car products like Autoglym, tried and tested mechanics tools from Draper and Pioneer car hi-fi equipment.

 

 

My first car - a customised Ford Escort 1300GT

(complete with hairy teenage friends)

My cool "Black Widow" Alloy Wheels

These look great AND improved the handling of my VR6

I get my wheels and tyres fitted by Philips Tyres of Oxford, I think they have the the best prices and friendliest service. You can buy decent parts worn tyres too if you area bit skint or you are not keeping your can for long.

Unlike certain " tyre specialists" they wont try and sell you an exhaust or battery as well.

 

 

 
   

Chisel Screwdrivers

If you have ever worked on an old car you will know that screws just don't play fair and usually wont turn, however much you swear.

The answer is a chisel screwdriver that you can tap with a hammer and not break. These screwdrivers have metal all the way thought the handle and a metal cap on the end.

 buy set of chisel screwdrivers

(6 German made tools £24 approx)

 buy bargain set of "wackable" screwdrivers

(6 Chinese made tools)

£7.90 approx!

 

 

 

Best Key Ring Torch for Car keys

Having a little torch on your key ring is so useful but most of them will only just about light up a keyhole.

Advances in battery and bulb technology now mean that you can have a proper torch measuring just 2 !/2 inches on your keyring and the great thing is the batteries will last ages.I have been using this LED Lenser V8 photon pump for over 2 years on the same batteries and absolutely love this handy torch.

Now a new smaller brother is available which has 24 carat gold connections and the option of flashing mode.

This incredible torch weighs only 17gms, and is about the size of a little finger.

Buying  the new Led Lenser V2 nano keyring torch could be the best tenner you ever spent!

Do you lose your keys all the time?     Find your keys in the dark - every time

Being over 40 and slightly erratic I often forget where I put my keys and cant find them. If you frequently hear the words, "bollocks! where are my keys?

Then you need the amazing tritium filled Nite Glow keyring. I own  4 of these and have bought them as presents for many people too.

I have tried all 3 colours and my advice is only buy the green ones as they are the brightest. Blue and Pink just don't give out enough light.  The Tritium gives out a powerful glow and lasts up to 10 years. There are no batteries and if you cant find your keys at night just turn the lights off and look for the green glow! My Nite Glow has stopped me losing my keys on numerous occasions.

 simples!

p.s I also bought one of those voice activated keyfinders - what a load of rubbish.

 

 

 

 

 

Super Glue not so Super?

Which is the best all round glue?

I have bought so many tubes of super glue and the only thing it has successfully held together is my fingers! Doh.

In fact super glue is so good for this that surgeons even use it to hold cuts together!

However,  if you have a bit of trim or plastic to repair, or even wood and metal then the best and easiest to use glue I know is this Unibond "Extreme Repair PowerGlue"  from  Henkel.

I also like Araldite glue and used it for many years to hold parts of my motorbike together. As I'm still alive this is some testament to its strength

. Unlike Araldite,  Extreme Repair Glue does not need to be mixed and squeezes easily from a tube. And unlike superglue this tube has a proper cap and does not go dry or need a fiddly pin stuck in it!

If you have 2 things to glue together that don't fit too well then there is a glue that expands to fill the gap. Gorilla glue is easy to apply and can be sanded flat afterwards for a tidy finish.

 

 

This Glue is the best I have tried and uses the latest research in chemical engineering to make a strong and ready mixed adhesive that does not go off in the tube.

 

 

Which is the best all round lubricant?

I have always been a big fan of old fashioned 3 -in 1 oil and the ubiquitous WD40 for loosening nuts and driving out water from electrical parts.

Both of these products are great for what they are meant to do but have limited applications or are often mis-used.

Thanks to modern technology and good R&D there is an easier to use product that does the lot, lubricate, penetrate and dispel water

AND IT IS MADE IN BRITAIN!

Use GT85 on your tools, moving parts and electrics. It is the NO1 product in the bicycle industry and comes in a large tin with a tube applicator for clean and economic use.

 

 

 

buy 3 cans and save £££s

FRED'S TOP MOTORISTS MONEYSAVING TIPS

1   Never renew you car insurance without getting a quote from another company.

This also applies to breakdown insurance and if you have been with the AA or RAC for years you should be able to negotiate a loyalty discount by ringing and saying you have been offered a better deal and might leave.

They don't offer this so it is up to you to ring and ask them.

If you don't ask - you don't get!

2 - know your car tyre pressures and keep them pumped up

If you are running your car with low tyre pressures then you will be using more fuel and possibly causing wear.

3 - Move tyres from front to rear wheels and visa versa.

Front tyres frequently wear at the edges due to steering scuffing whilst rear tyres do not.

By swapping your tyres around halfway through their lifecycle you will probably get more even wear and longer use from them.

 

 



For free expert advice - on buying tools, (on and off-line) mail me at
fred@fredshed.com  (please include tool name in subject header)

 

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© Fred Walden 2012 

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