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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

Renault Clio

Renault Clio

RRP £16,160Avg. savings £2,921 off RRP*Used from £6,795
Kia Sportage

Kia Sportage

RRP £28,065Avg. savings £3,066 off RRP*Used from £15,500
Nissan Qashqai

Nissan Qashqai

RRP £27,415Avg. savings £6,416 off RRP*Used from £13,479
Vauxhall Corsa

Vauxhall Corsa

RRP £19,690Avg. savings £4,679 off RRP*Used from £11,989
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
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