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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

Skoda Kodiaq

Skoda Kodiaq

RRP £39,025Avg. savings £3,517 off RRP*Used from £12,727
Vauxhall Corsa

Vauxhall Corsa

RRP £19,690Avg. savings £5,308 off RRP*Used from £10,849
Toyota Yaris Cross

Toyota Yaris Cross

RRP £27,145Avg. savings £2,518 off RRP*Used from £16,200
Volkswagen Polo

Volkswagen Polo

RRP £15,255Avg. savings £1,912 off RRP*Used from £7,299
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
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