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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

Volkswagen Golf

Volkswagen Golf

RRP £25,235Avg. savings £2,502 off RRP*Used from £11,800
Audi A3

Audi A3

RRP £26,295Avg. savings £4,581 off RRP*Used from £11,695
Volkswagen Polo

Volkswagen Polo

RRP £15,255Avg. savings £1,912 off RRP*Used from £7,299
Toyota Yaris Cross

Toyota Yaris Cross

RRP £27,145Avg. savings £2,518 off RRP*Used from £16,200
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
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