Corvette: How to Wash and Wax Your Corvette

This article applies to the Corvette C5 (1997-2004), C6 (2005-2013), and C7 (2014-2015).

The Chevrolet Corvette is a sports car engineered for top performance and high speed. Produced through seven generations, the Corvette outperforms the competition by providing cutting-edge horsepower, while simultaneously providing an enjoyable ride that feels solid all-around, even at top speeds. Corvette owners know that these cars, like most other sports cars, require proper care and maintenance to protect and extend the shine of the exterior paint finish. The key to maintaining the exterior paint finish of your Corvette for years to come is frequency and technique. Using the following easy-to-understand instructions, you can save time and money by doing the job right the first time. You will also learn when it is best to seek professional help, such as when you discover a problem that normal detailing cannot fix. You don't need to be a car expert, but you will need to be able to maneuver comfortably around your car.

Step 1 – Choose an ideal location

Park your Corvette in a cool, shady place, even if you are using a sun-friendly synthetic polymer-based car wax product. According to Edmunds.com, "Hard water, meaning that it contains a lot of minerals, leaves spots on the paint's finish when it evaporates, which happens more quickly in hot sunlight."

Step 2 – Wash your Corvette

Wash your Corvette using a car washing product that is pH-balanced and specially formulated to loosen and lift surface contaminants. Meguiar's Gold Class Car Wash, Mothers California Gold Carnauba Wash, and Wax or Turtle Wax ICE Premium Care Car Wash) are all excellent choices.

Washing your 'Vette is simple, wet the car down, cover your favorite sponge in car soap and water and wash from top to bottom. Higher areas, like the roof, hatch and hood tend to more easily show swirling and defects, so always start there, and then work your way down to areas that tend to collect more road grime like the bumpers and rockers. Remember, always keep the paint lubricated. If the car dries off, and you're still rubbing the paint, you may as well be holding sandpaper.

We highly recommend a dedicated sponges and towels for items like wheels and the exhaust tips, as they tend to collect substantially more contamination than body panels. This will reduce the risk of scratching the paint.

Step 3 – Feel along the paint for gunk and defects

While above-the-surface bonded contaminants, such as fallen debris and bird droppings, are usually easy to spot, you may need to feel for below-the-surface defects. Gently sweep your hand over the surface of the vehicle, feeling for swirls, oxidation and other physical defects. If there are no defects, proceed to Step 5.

Step 4 – Remove gunk, if applicable

Remove above and below-the-surface gunk and defects using a mildly abrasive clay bar kit. Top sellers include Meguiar's Smooth Surface Clay Kit or Mothers California Gold Clay Bar Kit. These kits generally come with one large bar, which should easily be enough material for two whole vehicles or uses. Cut up and pull apart by hand the clay into small, workable pieces. Working one panel at a time, wet the surface down with quick detailer and rub the clay on the paint work. The clay bar is porous and will pick up hidden contaminants embedded in the paint work. Check your clay bar as you work the panel. Once the bar has visible contaminants on it, or you can feel them, trash it and use a new piece of clay. I recommend making small pieces of clay that are about 1"x1" and very thin, and then working the product into the paintwork with your pointer and index fingers. This step relies heavily on feel, as in, if you feel resistance, you need to stop, re-lubricate the panel and then reassess. Claying a car is never a pressure or hard touch situation. The goal is have the paintwork feeling smooth and borderline slippery, less glass. Move on to step five when the paint on your Corvette feels smooth. Experts suggest using a clay bar every six months. Clay removes wax as well, so if you clay any area of your vehicle, don't forget to reseal it again afterwards.

Step 5 – Polish your Corvette

Apply a polishing product, such as Meguiar's Ultimate Polish or Mothers California Gold Micro-Polishing Glaze, to the vehicle by hand. Use the microfiber-covered or foam applicator pad that comes included in the box. Complete one section at a time, using circular, overlapping strokes. It is not necessary to allow the polish to dry completely, as doing so could lead to scratches.

Step 6 – Apply a car wax at least every three months

Apply the car wax to the exterior paint using the microfiber-covered or foam applicator pad that comes included in the box. Edmunds.com recommends using a synthetic polymer-based wax, such as Meguiar's Ultimate Wax, Mothers California Gold Synthetic Wax, or Turtle Wax ICE Premium Care Liquid Wax. According to the industry-respected website, "These generally provide longer-lasting protection and are easier to use in the sun than older-style carnauba-based waxes." Apply using small, circular, overlapping strokes, working the product onto one section of the vehicle at a time.

Step 7 – Touch up the vehicle (optional)

Boost your Corvette's shine between applications with a spray wax. Designed for quick touch-ups, the product can be applied more frequently than regular car wax (weekly) and can be easily wiped off using a microfiber towel. Top sellers include Meguiar's Ultimate Quik Wax, Mothers California Gold Spray Wax, and Turtle Wax ICE Premium Care Spray Wax.

Related Discussion

• Occasional Wash and Wax - Corvetteforum.com