cjmajor Posted May 19, 2015 Report Share Posted May 19, 2015 I bought an Edge Sport last Saturday. This is my first Ford purchase. Would appreciate tips/advice on maintenance and care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWWPerfA_ZN0W Posted May 19, 2015 Report Share Posted May 19, 2015 Congrats & welcome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WingNut Posted May 19, 2015 Report Share Posted May 19, 2015 I bought an Edge Sport last Saturday. This is my first Ford purchase. Would appreciate tips/advice on maintenance and care. What exactly do you want to know? Maintenance: Follow what the Owner Manual says and you should be just fine. Keep the tires inflated to the correct pressure (which you can monitor through my ford touch) and add some when it is obviously getting low. Check oil and keep it topped off. And on and on As for care, this is where my specialty is. If you want to keep it looking new and swirl free my advice is: 1. Don't use one of those car washes that has brushes, etc. that rub against your paint. That'll be sure to create micro-swirls over time. And a lot of times the soap they use will strip any protection and not be good for plastic/rubber. 2. Use a proper wash technique. That means a good wash mitt, maybe a two bucket system, a good car soap like Meguiars Gold (find it anywhere/everywhere, a good process (Do a panel, rinse mitt, go from the top down, do wheels/tires last with a dedicated old mitt that won't touch your paint, and spray the car down it it is real dirty before washing), and use good drying towels (waffle weave microfiber. Don't wash them with regular laundry. Wash them separate with other microfiber, dry on low, NEVER use fabric softner. You do that and your car will stay swirl free. 3. Protect. This is where it can vary from minimal to crazy OCD type protection. I fall in the middle. But at a minimum, use a spray wax every few weeks after washing. If you want a little more protection or want me to expand on other options, let me know. There are a few spray waxes you can find at Auto Zone, Pep Boys, or Advance Auto that'll work just fine. I like to stick to Meguiars if I'm buying at the store followed by Mothers or Griots Garage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drive XR7 Posted May 31, 2015 Report Share Posted May 31, 2015 Use synthetic fluids. Use a sealant and a wax to protect the paint in the harsh weather. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redbow Posted June 30, 2015 Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 (edited) Car Care products are like so many other things "You get what you Pay for" You can buy cheep and get medioker results or you can spend more and get better and longer lasting results. I use nothing on my 57 T-bird and now the Edge but ClearKote. You can find it on-line @ www.clearkote.com. Stumbled upon it years ago at a swap meet and have used it ever since. OH! Welcome to the FORD FAMILY OF FINE CARS enjoy you new purchase and post some pictures. Burke Edited June 30, 2015 by Redbow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WingNut Posted June 30, 2015 Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 Car Care products are like so many other things "You get what you Pay for" You can buy cheep and get medioker results or you can spend more and get better and longer lasting results. I use nothing on my 57 T-bird and now the Edge but ClearKote. You can find it on-line @ www.clearkote.com. Stumbled upon it years ago at a swap meet and have used it ever since. OH! Welcome to the FORD FAMILY OF FINE CARS enjoy you new purchase and post some pictures. Burke I'll have to disagree. Price doesn't always mean better quality, durability, or shine. I have used very expensive products and I have used cheap off the shelf stuff from Auto Zone. With the expensive products, I did not see the value. The durability was in line with many cheaper/mid-grade products I have used. The shine, again, inline with some other cheaper products. And so on. It all depends on the paint, the process, and the expectations of the owner. No need to get sucked in to the hype thinking more expensive means you'll get a better shine that lasts a lot longer. I could find two products on opposite ends of the price spectrum, apply them side by side using the same prep, and I'd bet my paycheck that you would not be able to tell me which side is which. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WingNut Posted June 30, 2015 Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 (edited) To add, I"m not saying an expensive product won't give you great results. It may. But the point is, a person should not base their purchase strictly on price thinking high price = best outcome. You can read Autopia or Autogeek forums until you are blue in the face and you'll be so confused at what to buy because so many people have so many different opinions and experiences from a million different products. What someone that wants to keep their car looking good needs to do is this: 1. Pick a budget. Decide how much money you are willing to invest in car care products. 2. Research the process. Learn the proper process for washing, drying, prepping, correcting, sealing, waxing, and maintaining your car's paint. 3. Decide on a time budget. Figure out how much time you want to invest in doing these things. This will lead you to the type of product you should be looking at. In the end, it comes down to personal preference. What makes me feel great about how my car looks, may not make you feel great if you followed the same process with the same products on your car. The goal is to use products that fit within your financial/time budget and leaves you with a result that meets your initial expectations. In the end it shouldn't feel like a chore. Edited June 30, 2015 by WingNut 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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