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11. Clay bar

Clay bar

Grit, salt and damp make the next few months a tough time for your car.

Particularly vulnerable is the paintwork. Before applying a generous protective coat of wax, give the body a thorough clean with a clay bar.

This will remove all those tiny impurities that stick to paint, and leave a super-smooth finish for the wax to bond to.

Our clay bar test winner was Bilt-Hamber’s Auto-clay Soft (£10.95).

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New & used car deals

Renault Clio

Renault Clio

RRP £16,160Avg. savings £3,398 off RRP*Used from £7,195
Volkswagen Golf

Volkswagen Golf

RRP £25,235Avg. savings £2,502 off RRP*Used from £11,600
Hyundai Tucson

Hyundai Tucson

RRP £29,820Avg. savings £6,182 off RRP*Used from £12,295
Skoda Kodiaq

Skoda Kodiaq

RRP £39,025Avg. savings £3,517 off RRP*Used from £9,777
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
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