Skip advert
Advertisement

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).

Skip advert
Advertisement

New & used car deals

Vauxhall Corsa

Vauxhall Corsa

RRP £19,870Avg. savings £5,301 off RRP*Used from £9,477
Skoda Kodiaq

Skoda Kodiaq

RRP £39,045Avg. savings £3,528 off RRP*Used from £8,970
Hyundai Tucson

Hyundai Tucson

RRP £29,840Avg. savings £4,628 off RRP*Used from £13,300
Dacia Spring

Dacia Spring

RRP £14,995Avg. savings £3,908 off RRP*
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Maybe I’m just getting old, but modern cars should be less complex to drive
Opinion - Paul Barker driving the Polestar 3

Maybe I’m just getting old, but modern cars should be less complex to drive

Editor Paul Barker wants his car to act more like a car, and less like a smartphone
Opinion
1 Apr 2026
Best car engines of all time
Best car engines - header image

Best car engines of all time

What makes a great internal-combustion motor? We explain why these petrols, diesels and even a hybrid made the list
Features
3 Apr 2026
Motability to force black box trackers on all drivers under 30
Wheelchair user plugging a charging cable into a Vauxhall Astra Electric

Motability to force black box trackers on all drivers under 30

The Motability Scheme, which provides cars for disabled drivers, has faced new changes after Government tax hikes
News
2 Apr 2026