Pampering Your Smart - Detailing

[saronian]

Paint Preparation
After a winter of weather abuse I use a Detailing Clay to bring the paint/clearcoat back to a like-new smoothness. Zaino Z-18 ClayBar is excellent, but there are many others. The Ultima Elastrofoam Paint Cleaning System is a new product which also works very well. Note- Be sure to use these products as described by the manufacturers to prevent scratches to your paint. They are not hard to use, but keeping the paint well lubricated while rubbing is important.

This isn't required when a car is new, but will prepare your paint for waxing and sealing which should be done every 6-9 months.

Exterior - Plastics & Rubber
Clear Top, Lamp Lenses, & Door Seals
For cleaning and protecting all types of plactic I use 303 Aerospace Protectant. It provides good UV protection. Also excellent is Plexus Plastic Cleaner.


Exterior - Glass
Stoner Invisible Glass has been my favorite, but it is not recommended for polycarbonate, so I found an alternative, DF Concours Simply Natural Glass Shine. This product is plant based without ammonia or alcohol, it cleans off bugs well and doesn't streak. The only drawback is the limited availability, and relatively high cost compared to typical glass cleaners.


Interior - Dash
For hard plastic or vinyl interior materials I use 303 Aerospace Protectant diluted 1:1 with distilled water. The smart interior also has some cloth-like material in various spots, which will require something else.

Interior - Leather
Meltonian All-Purpose Cleaner & Conditioner will clean and soften leather when used regularly. It has a stronger conditioning effect than all of the auto speciality products I've tried.


Application Cloths
For applying some of the above products I use low-cost microfiber cloths. I buy them at Costco in a 20-pack for about $12. For buffing I use the Ultima Autospa Buffing Towel, it's super thick and plush.

I hope this gives some of the new smart owners an idea how quick and easy it will be to maintain your car. I know it looks like a lot of work but the description took much longer than actual detailing. With a good wax or sealant you'll need very little effort to remove a week or two of accumulated grime with a simple wash.

I'll post more pictures of my car after the weekend.

Scott

[factor9]

Scott - Thanks for listing the products, instructions AND PICs!!! All very useful!

Two brief questions: What are you using on your smart's aluminum alloy wheels for protectant? And, after using the Ultima product on the polycarbonate clear roof, did you notice any streaking afterward?
Looking forward to more pics of the finished product!

Thanks!
Bob

[DavidV]

For those looking for a single source approach to Smart care, the entire line of products made by Zaino (Scott lists their claybar) is excellent and very highly regarded in the automotive enthusiast world.

Also, a great detailing forum can be found at http://autopia.org/forum/

** DavidV

[saronian]

I'm assuming the stock smart alloys are painted silver and have a clearcoat. So I treated them like the panels, using the Ultima sealant.

I saw no streaking on the clear roof and it feels very slick. For now I'm happy using Ultima sealant and Z-8 quick detailer on the roof. Once I have a chance to observe under a variety of lighting conditions I'll now if that's the best combination.