Car care tips - Mineral gray 330i xdrive 2019

[bmwkamalik01]

Hi I recently got my first car, a 2019 330i xdrive mineral gray.

I am reaching out to you all as I have no idea how to care of it 😓. I need guidance for both exterior and interior care.

It has sensatech black color interiors. I need help with tips for cleaning the interiors. I currently got the BMW interior cleaner.

For exterior I got the BMW express wax. Where should I get it washed as my community doesn't allow car washing here. I previously went to a self car wash. Also, what all products should I use?

[CCM11285]

Well let's start with the interior. Sensatec is very durable and easy to clean, you could pick up something like Mother's VLR. It's cheap and available at most stores. Spray into a clean microfiber and wipe down, then follow up with a clean dry microfiber.
Your BMW interior cleaner is used similarly.

For all the other surfaces, you could pick up Griots Interior detailer. It's available at autozone and works well. Spray some on a clean microfiber and wipe, flip to a clean side often.

For the leather steering wheel, you'll want to find a leather cleaner that doesn't leave a greasy finish behind. Chemical Guys Sprayable Leather is a good example. You spray some into a clean microfiber, and use moderate pressure to get it clean. Buff it after with a clean dry microfiber. The leather on the steering wheel is pretty durable. The oil from your hands and the sun are what can damage it the most.

Getting to the exterior, since you can't use free flowing water at home to wash it, you could use a rinseless wash solution. Either Optimum No Rinse or Mckees N-914. They're very slick cleaning solutions that you mix with distilled water. These are great options if the car isn't very soiled.

If you just want the car cleaned with no regard for scratches in the clear, then any tunnel wash is fine. Just remember that automatic touchless washes won't clean very well and tunnel washes with rotating brushes will leave scratches and swirls in the clear. Self serve coin-op washes are an option also but I would never use the foaming brush.

Most waxes will only last a couple weeks.
There are paint sealants and coatings that last months to years.

The interior products mentioned will leave UV protection behind.

Any form of protection for your paint that offers UV resistance is a must.

[bmwkamalik01]

Originally Posted by CCM11285

Well let's start with the interior. Sensatec is very durable and easy to clean, you could pick up something like Mother's VLR. It's cheap and available at most stores. Spray into a clean microfiber and wipe down, then follow up with a clean dry microfiber.
Your BMW interior cleaner is used similarly.

For all the other surfaces, you could pick up Griots Interior detailer. It's available at autozone and works well. Spray some on a clean microfiber and wipe, flip to a clean side often.

For the leather steering wheel, you'll want to find a leather cleaner that doesn't leave a greasy finish behind. Chemical Guys Sprayable Leather is a good example. You spray some into a clean microfiber, and use moderate pressure to get it clean. Buff it after with a clean dry microfiber. The leather on the steering wheel is pretty durable. The oil from your hands and the sun are what can damage it the most.

Getting to the exterior, since you can't use free flowing water at home to wash it, you could use a rinseless wash solution. Either Optimum No Rinse or Mckees N-914. They're very slick cleaning solutions that you mix with distilled water. These are great options if the car isn't very soiled.

If you just want the car cleaned with no regard for scratches in the clear, then any tunnel wash is fine. Just remember that automatic touchless washes won't clean very well and tunnel washes with rotating brushes will leave scratches and swirls in the clear. Self serve coin-op washes are an option also but I would never use the foaming brush.

Most waxes will only last a couple weeks.
There are paint sealants and coatings that last months to years.

The interior products mentioned will leave UV protection behind.

Any form of protection for your paint that offers UV resistance is a must.

Thank you for your suggestions! I got chemical guys interior cleaner. The blacks in my dash seems to be dry.. any product to restore it to a new look?

I cleaned my car once at the self clean using the foaming brush! 😭 I noticed scratches to the paint. I also noticed the bedding (black colored strip on the edges of the windscreen) looked faded. How to fix it?

Any coating that you recommend that I should get done professionally on the car?

[StevenDS85]

Never use the carwash brushes! It leaves scratches 100% for sure …
A bucket and a washing glove is way better. I only use the washing peoducts from Gyeon. Always get a lot of compliments how clean my car is.

[CCM11285]

Any professional detailing shop will give you a few options for a coating. It's up to you how much you are willing to spend. When you find a few shops just give them a call and they'll give you some suggestions on how to move forward. You can research the products they use also.

Your windscreen may just need a good polish to really clean it. You don't actually "polish" the glass, it's more using the polisher to deep clean and remove any old products or oxidation.