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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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Volkswagen Tiguan

Volkswagen Tiguan

RRP £38,030Avg. savings £3,360 off RRP*Used from £11,434
MG MG4

MG MG4

RRP £27,005Avg. savings £4,925 off RRP*Used from £9,795
Kia Sportage

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Volkswagen Polo

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* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
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