Joshua Tree Wood Dash Kit:

intro:

So, you want to wash your car huh? Washing and waxing your car can be one of the most satisfying and frustrating parts about owning an SUV, or any car for that matter. Keeping a regular cleaning schedule is key in keeping your "showroom finish." The challenge is doing this in a cost effective and efficient manner. I was recently sent a Basic wash kit from the nice folks at Finish First Polish included a bottle each of their Wash/Conditioner, Finish Prep, and Finish First Polish (retail $32.95.) I've tried many different soaps and polishes of various manufacturers and my current favorites are : Zymol Auto Wash (around $8), Meguiars Cleaners/Polish (about $7 each), and Eagle 1 Carnuba Paste Wax ($9ish). How did the new products from Finish First do? Lets find out!

washing:

The Finish First stuff has a cool minty smell to it, reminding me of mouthwash. It lathers up quite well and is actually very concentrated. A couple capfulls in my 3 gallon bucket were plenty. The Finish First Wash sent my accumulated road dust, brake dust and bird stuff down the drain with ease! ZYMOL: This is not the super expensive stuff advertised on their website but the stuff sold at Pep Boys and other retail stores. It lathers up very well and smells great too, almost a sweet candy like smell. I love this stuff! Does a fine job of cleaning! The one drawback is that if you leave a bottle around for a couple months, it seems to get a bit wattery, although it does appear to work just as well. Advantage: TIE (depending on your preference of smells: mint vs. candy)

prepping:

The prepping step is perhaps the most time consuming and annoying step of all, and most people (including me) rarely take the time to do it! This step takes away old water spots, road tar, and wax residues from your paint before you wax. The Finish First prep is a surprising cherry smelling paste/gel that easily applies to your paint. They recommending rubbing it in, in small areas, instead of doing the whole car at once. While this is slower, it works better. The Finish First Prep is a simple one step cleaner that really goes on quickly. It leaves the paint underneath pretty much naked, so you've gotta wax/polish the car the same day if you're going to do it at all! I really liked the natural smell of the Finish First Prep and it left the paint feeling sqeaky and smooth underneath. Meguiars: Meguiars is no stranger to the auto care market, with tons of products. I chose their brand of cleaner and polish to use before I waxed. It really does a nice job of taking away stubborn stains, the downside is that you need to end up using 2 products, and that means more work for you! (this is the recommended procedure- 2 steps, AND a wax.) When done properly, the car paint is super clean, but it takes some intense rubbing/polishing to really get the stuff out. Another minus is the really strong chemical odor, which makes me a bit skeptical of their claim to be 100% safe for paints... It's a good combo if you can spend the time to do both steps, and if you're not particular about the smell. Advantage: Finish First - Ease of application and easy on the nose too!

polishing / waxing:

The waxxing step is the most rewarding step in cleaning your car! It leaves your vehicle with a beautiful showroom finish, if done right and doesn't need to be done every time you wash. The Finish First Polish is simply the easiest removing wax/polish around. You need almost no pressure and rubbing to get the dry polish off. They recommend letting the polish dry (overnight if possible), then wiping it off with a clean cloth. I did this and the results were spectacular! Excellent product that really puts other liquid formulas to shame! I really like this stuff! And after 7 weeks, it still looks great after a quick hose of water! Eagle One Carnuba Wax: Eagle one makes my favorite brand of hard wax around. It doesn't smell like solvents or harsh chemicals. It's a pleasant yellow color and really applies with ease. The only tough part is the buffing/ and rubbing stage, which is the toughest part. The other downside is that the wax is left behind on plastic that has a texture, like the running boards and fender flares, and this never seems to go away. (Armor all or Son of A Gun Protectant helps) The results are excellent, and if you must use a hard wax, this is it! Eagle one is a bit hard to find (black can) Not at Pep Boys or Walmart, but I get mine at Grand Auto Supply Stores. Advantage: Finish First - Ease of application wins again, but if you must use Carnuba, use this one!

Happy washing! Visit First Finish Polish, Eagle one, Zymol, and Meguiars. What's your favorite wash/wax combo? Let us know on the messageboard!