E.J. Braswell
Page 8
Transmission treatments and conditioners help provide additional lubrication to provide smoother shifting and longer transmission life.
Coolant service products include radiator flush, cleaner lubricants, and antirust products, all to help maintain your radiator’s cooling capacity. These are especially useful for older cars, high-performance engines, and cars that tend to run hot or overheat.
Detailing
You can give your car a good wash and wax from time to time, but if you want to clean and protect the complete car, you’re talking about detailing.
Detailing includes a comprehensive cleaning of the interior and exterior of the car, as well as taking steps to help preserve and protect the appearance of your car’s paint, plastic, upholstery, rugs, wheels, and tires. Not only does keeping up your car’s appearance make your rides more enjoyable, it helps protect your investment. You can kiss the Blue Book value good-bye with too many scratches and a funky smell in the passenger seat.
SUPPLIES
Car wash liquid (pH balanced is preferred)
Tar and bug remover
All-purpose cleaner
Carpet shampoo or cleaner
Tire and trim dressing
Upholstery and/or leather cleaners
Interior dressing (silicone protectant)
Window cleaner
Wax/cleaner/sealer
Clay cleaner
EQUIPMENT
Soft cotton washing mitt
Clean rags or towels (very clean. One spot of grit and it’s all over.)
Paper towels to clean the windows
Soft bristle brush
Wheel cleaning brush
Detail brushes
Plastic bucket
Sheepskin chamois, synthetic chamois, or drying towels
Car sponges or terry towels
Hose and water
Wet/dry vacuum
Rug steam cleaner (optional)
Orbital buffer (optional)
Q-Tips or detailing brushes
The Exterior
WASHING AND WAXING YOUR CAR
Never do it in direct sunlight. Find a good, shady spot and make sure the car’s surface is cool. Start by thoroughly rinsing your car off from the top down (not with the top down), removing all surface dirt, mud, or grime to prevent scratches when you’re washing the finish.
Remove Bugs and Road Tar
Using the tar and bug remover on a sponge or rag, remove any bugs or road tar. Rinse.
Clean Doorjambs and Moldings
Use an all-purpose cleaner and sponge to clean them and the hatch/trunk areas. Don’t use normal car wash here—it’s hard to rinse the soap from these areas without getting the interior too wet. Scrub body side moldings with a soft brush and the same all-purpose cleaner—but don’t scrub the car’s paint! Rinse it all off with water.
Wash the Car by Hand
Caution: Never use dish detergent or a scrub brush on your car’s painted surfaces. The dish soap can damage and dry out your finish, and some brushes can actually create hairline scratches that will eventually compromise your car’s finish. Use a gentle car wash and sponges, terry cloths, or a detailing mitt.
Start from the top and work your way down, in small sections that you rinse when you’re done. Never soap up the entire car—this may leave a film on your finish. Rinse repeatedly from the top down to make sure all the soap is removed. Make sure you thoroughly clean any areas you treated with the bug and tar remover.
Stubborn Stains and Dirt
For hard-to-remove spots, there are automotive finish clay cleaners and other specialty products that can help remove dirt that can’t be washed off with car wash soap. Clay is the best “Pre-wax” as it makes waxing your car easier.
Drying the Car
As temptingly easy as it may seem, never let your car air dry—especially if you’re using hard water. It can leave streaks and create water marks that may damage your paint. Use a synthetic or sheepskin chamois to remove most of the water. As you complete each section, rinse it in clean water and wring it out thoroughly. Finish drying the car with a soft cotton towel.
Cleaning the Wheels
Begin by scrubbing them with the wheel brush and car wash solution. Rinse repeatedly as you work. You may need a small brush to get into the areas where hot brake dust bonds to the wheels.
Special wheel cleaners are available and are recommended, but read the precautions on the label before using. Check your owner’s manual to see if your rims have a “clear coat”; if they do, only use wheel cleaners specifically marked as safe for them.
Thoroughly rinse wheels with water.
Tire and Trim Dressing
Tires and other synthetic rubber parts of your car’s exterior will dry out and turn gray over time. A variety of products are available to help these parts retain their black color and prevent damage from the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Apply the appropriate treatments to the tires, black rubber trim, and moldings. Most dressings are sold as sprays, but be careful not to get them on painted surfaces or your driveway (they will stain the concrete). If necessary, apply some to a rag first, then to the rubber.
Waxing Prolific About Waxing
Sit-com perfect images of suburban dads washing and waxing their shiny cars make it look like the easiest thing in the world, but the whole process can actually be a little more complicated than you might have guessed. Read carefully.
Preparing Your Car for Waxing
Always wash before you wax. Waxing a dirty car can damage the paint.
CHOOSING YOUR WAX
There are a wide variety of products available to “wax” your car. Some traditional products may actually contain natural wax, but many modern products are actually formulated from synthetic compounds. The basic idea behind waxing is to provide a barrier that adds gloss to the finish and protects the car’s paint from the elements. Whether natural or synthetic, all of them eventually wear away and must be reapplied. Some waxes are simple protective barriers that add gloss to the finish. Others combine cleaners and sealants with wax. Still others are multi-step applications with separate products for cleaning, sealing, and waxing.
The wax that’s best may depend on how new your car is and how often it has already been waxed. For newer and frequently waxed cars, a simple one-step wax can do the job. For a car that hasn’t been waxed recently, products that include cleaners and sealants might be better.
NOTE: If you do wax often, make sure you’re using a product with very low or nonabrasive ingredients.
WAXING YOUR CAR
Read and follow the instructions on your wax carefully.
Use a clean, soft, lint-free cloth or micro fiber cloth to remove the dried wax.
Change cloths (not clothes) often to avoid leaving wax residue on the paint.
Always work on a small section at a time. Don’t move to the next section until you’ve finished buffing the dried wax off the first section.
Take your time and avoid getting wax in cracks and rubber trim.
Double-check each panel to make sure all the wax has been wiped down.
If the wax has left a dusty film on the car, rinse it down with water and then dry it with a chamois. (Sheepskin or synthetic)
Finally, buff the finish with a fresh, clean cloth.
Caution on Using a Buffer
Used properly, a buffer can save you a lot of time and energy. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully and use a soft, clean buffing pad. Keep it moving—you can damage the finish if you stay in one spot too long. Use only an orbital buffer intended for use with auto finishes. Other kinds can leave permanent swirl marks or even remove the paint from your car!
Another Caution: Clear Coat Finishes
Most of today’s cars have a clear coat applied at the factory. It’s sprayed on over the base coat to create a high-gloss finish. Clear coat is paint, not a paint treatment, so treat it like paint. Wash and wax frequently to protect it from the elements. Some older products can damage these finish
es, so use only clear-coat-safe cleaners and waxes to maintain it properly.
The Final Details
Remove any excess wax from the cracks and emblems with a detail brush and a towel. Don’t forget to wax air dams, rocker panels, doorjambs, and rear hatch areas!
THE INTERIOR
Thought you were done, huh?
Vacuum All Areas Thoroughly
Remove the floor mats and make sure you get into tight spots and compartments where dirt can build up, such as between the seats and in the console. If the headliner, sun visors, and door panels are fabric, vacuum these as well.
Shampooing the Interior
There are three approaches to shampooing:
Spray-on shampoos are easy to apply and dry quickly. Your car can be ready to go as soon as you vacuum up the dried shampoo residue. The foam itself does the cleaning, so keep the use of additional water to a minimum to help your interior dry faster.
Carpet steam cleaners take considerably longer than spray-on shampoo and the carpets remain damp for a longer time. However, steam cleaners can provide a much more thorough cleaning and allow you to treat hard-to-clean spots repeatedly.
Liquid shampoos provide some of the cleaning power of a steam cleaner but require even more effort and take even longer to dry.
You may need to pretreat heavy stains in the carpet and fabrics. Use a stiff brush to scrape off dried food and other debris before you shampoo. Whichever method you use, follow the directions carefully and use the same procedure for carpets in the trunk or hatchback areas as well.
Cleaning the Upholstery
You can use either spray-on cleaners or a steam cleaner; just don’t scrub the upholstery as hard as you would the carpets—you could damage the fabric.
Leather Seats
If you’re lucky enough to have them, clean the seats or door panels with saddle soap or an appropriate leather cleaner and conditioner. Don’t use mink oil, fabric stain remover, or rubber or vinyl protectants on leather interiors—they will damage your nice, expensive seats.
Headliner and Sun Visors
Fabric ones can be cleaned with upholstery cleaner or shampoo. For heavy stains use a fabric stain remover. If your headliner and sun visors are vinyl, clean them with a window or all-purpose cleaner.
Floor Mats
Vacuum carpeted floor mats thoroughly and shampoo them as you did the interior carpets. Rubber ones can be cleaned with an all-purpose cleaner. Make sure both the mats and the carpet are completely dry before putting them back in to avoid new and permanent traveling companions (e.g., mold and mildew).
Dashboard and Interior Vinyl Surfaces
Clean the dashboard and interior vinyl with a rag dampened with diluted all-purpose cleaner. Keep moisture to a minimum and avoid getting water into the electronics on the dashboard and in the door panels. Follow up with a fresh rag dampened with plain water and dry all the surfaces with towels to avoid streaking. Hard-to-reach spots such as air vent louvers can be cleaned with Q-Tips or a small paintbrush.
Interior Dressings
These are designed to protect the interior surface from the drying and cracking caused by age, ultraviolet light, and extreme temperatures. Many use silicone to help keep plastic surfaces looking new. To avoid overspray stains, apply the product to a rag and then wipe on.
Treat all interior plastic and vinyl surfaces except the steering wheel (it would make it slippery). Do not use silicone on leather. Nongloss dressings are available to minimize dashboard glare and reflection in the windshield.
And Speaking of Windshields: Cleaning the Windows
Do not spray glass cleaner on them directly. Use the rag method mentioned above to avoid overspray. Wipe windows down thoroughly with the glass cleaner and dry with a soft rag or paper towel.
Engine Detailing
Years ago a complete detailing would include steam cleaning the engine compartment. Today’s engines and engine compartments are tightly packed with sophisticated and sensitive electronics that can be easily damaged. Steam cleaning is not advised. There are a variety of spray-on engine cleaners and degreasers available, but these must be used carefully. Use a spray-on foaming degreaser and wash off with low-pressure water. If you’re not sure what’s safe, leave it to the professionals.
The Garage and Workshop
It’s important for any driver to maintain an organized, well-stocked garage or workshop. Be sure to have everything you need at hand, including lift equipment (jacks and jack stands or ramps), battery chargers, an air compressor and air tools for avid do-it-yourselfers, power tools with accessories, hand tools, and a place to store all of this stuff. Organization is just as important as the tools themselves. Outfit your garage or workshop with tables, cabinets, and shelving systems. Get a comfortable stool to sit on when working or a creeper to make getting under your properly lifted vehicle easy for you. You’ll find just about everything you need for your garage or workshop at your local Pep Boys store.
“Manny, Moe, and Jack are the three best symbols a firm ever had. The mere mention of their names is enough to raise a chuckle.”
—Philadelphia Inquirer (March 3, 1986)
FROM The Pep Boys—Manny, Moe and Jack: Founders of the Automotive Aftermarket
by Marian Calabro
1857 Liquid gasoline is developed.
1860 The first internal combustion engine is patented in Paris, France.
1887 Ransom Olds, later known for the Oldsmobile, builds the first steam-propelled car in the United States.
1891 William Morrison builds the first electric car in the United States.
1896 The Duryea brothers build the first gas-powered car in the United States.
Henry Ford, working on his own, builds his first car.
Emmanuel “Manny” Rosenfeld is born on February 6 in Philadelphia.
1897 Maurice “Moe” Strauss is born on March 20 in Philadelphia.
1900 The first U.S. car show takes place at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Thirty manufacturers have vehicles on display.
1903 Henry Ford starts The Ford Motor Company.
1904 Ford introduces the two-cylinder Model A.
1905 Racing at Daytona Beach, Florida, becomes a popular annual event.
1908 Ford introduces the 20-horsepower Model T, the first affordable car. More than 15 million Model Ts, nicknamed “Tin Lizzies,” will be manufactured through 1927.
William Durant, an executive at Ford, leaves to form his own company, General Motors. He does it by buying up Buick, Cadillac, and other small manufacturers.
1910 GM’s Cadillac division produces the first U.S. car with an electric self-starter.
1913 Ford installs assembly lines. As production efficiency increases, the price of a Model T drops from $850 to $440 to $275.
1916 The U.S. Congress passes the first Federal Road Act, but few roads are built due to America’s entry into World War I the following year.
1921 Manny Rosenfeld, Moe Strauss, and W. Graham “Jack” Jackson open Pep Auto Supply Company at 7-11 North 63rd Street, Philadelphia. Moe Radavitz is also a partner.
Passage of the first Federal Highway Act launches the idea of an interstate road system. The Bureau of Public Roads creates a system of highway numbering: even numbers for east-west roads, odd numbers for north-south.
1923 Manny Rosenfeld and Moe Strauss drive a Model T to southern California to investigate the marketplace. A dress shop called Minnie, Maude & Mabel’s catches their eye. On returning to Philadelphia, they change their company’s name to The Pep Boys—Manny, Moe & Jack.
Moe Radavitz and Jack Jackson leave the business. The face of Moe Strauss’s brother Isadore, who works for Pep Boys from 1923 to 1928, replaces Jack’s face in the logo.
1925 The Pep Boys—Manny, Moe & Jack incorporates in Pennsylvania.
Walter P. Chrysler, who ran the Buick division of General Motors, leaves to open his own company, The Chrysler Corporation.
In the beginning, Pep Boys storefronts w
ere typically narrow with deep backroom storage areas, much different from the retail and service Supercenters of today.
1926 The Bureau of Public Roads maps Route 66, planned to stretch from Lake Michigan to the Pacific Ocean in southern California.
1927 Ford discontinues the Model T and introduces a fancier four-cylinder car, advertised as “a roadster for Youth and the Country Club.” It is given the same name as Ford’s 1908 two-cylinder offering: Model A.
Pep Boys establishes the first unconditional one-year guarantee on tires, without raising prices. Competitors soon follow suit.
1928 Manny’s brother Murray Rosenfeld joins the company.
1929 General Motors introduces America’s first six-cylinder car, the Chevrolet “Stovebolt.”
Detroit produces over five million cars.
The stock market crashes, ushering in the Great Depression. New car sales fall by 75 percent through 1932.
1931 Pep Boys issues almost 700,000 copies of a 100-page, two-color merchandise catalog. Sales grow as Americans need to keep their old cars running.
Pep Boys sells 6 million gallons of gasoline annually.
1932–33 Pep Boys creates a separate corporation called The Pep Boys—Manny, Moe & Jack of California. Under the leadership of Murray Rosenfeld, the first two stores open in Los Angeles in 1933.
On February 14, 1933, Pep Boys opened its first two stores in Los Angeles, California. With the demand for automotive parts and accessories increasing with West Coast population growth, Angelenos have made Pep Boys part of their car culture.