Mustang Detailing Guide

Horse Sense: While it's probably hard to imagine us admitting this, we do realize that there are some members of the 'Stang Nation who aren't as obsessed as we are with Ponies that make gobs of horsepower and cover the distance of a dragstrip in record time. Thankfully, the NMRA quenches our thirst for hard-core 'Stang racing. For those of you on the other side, we hope you find some solace in this report.

Time and time again, we're either showing how to improve performance and handling for your street Mustang or providing information and tips that will help you stay on top of your 'Stang's basic mechanical upkeep. This time, however, we're going to take a break from the norm and talk about another aspect of taking care of your Mustang: cleaning it.

Detailing has long been a misused buzz term for cleaning a car's exterior and interior to a high degree. You're probably wondering why we feel that way. Unfortunately, in today's world of wanting something now-and especially wanting it for the lowest price-many enthusiasts have become OK with feeling that a simple wash and vacuum at the corner car wash actually is a detail, simply because they paid an extra two bucks to have their Mustang's tires and dashboard juiced with something to make them shiny.

While detailing any vehicle includes washing the body and vacuuming the interior, several additional cleaning procedures (removing paint contaminants with a clay bar, waxing and polishing with a dual-action polisher) and coverage areas (seats and interior, glass, engine compartment, trunk) all play a role in giving the car the type of sanitary look that is considered a thorough detail.

No matter how much power a Mustang has, its appearance (the look and stance) is usually the first attention getter. Once our eyes catch the 'Stang's killer paint, wheels, or overall appearance, we then inquire about how well it runs and its mechanical makeup.

Details are performed simply for the satisfaction of knowing your 'Stang looks its best when you hit the street for cruising, or to prepare it for a major car show or even a possible sale. (We don't really like that reason, but appearance is important when it comes to selling any vehicle.)

With nice weather and the car-show season now upon us, we think you will appreciate this break from the norm to receive tips and insights from an automotive surface-care expert on how to make your Mustang gleam.

Mike "The Wizard of Wax" Pennington is the director of training and consumer relations at Meguiar's, a leading manufacturer of automotive surface-care products. He was kind enough to spend a day with us to demonstrate the proper way to clean and maintain a Mustang's appearance. Meguiar's holds similar tutorials for car clubs and enthusiasts interested in learning how to take care of their machines. We admit that we learned a lot about the dos and don'ts and rights and wrongs of detailing during the training session.

A few important things to keep in mind is that a good detail is really all about you-the 'Stang owner-your expectations, the level at which you want to present your ride, and the overall condition of your car. Evaluate the Mustang's surface, then use the proper cleaning agents and application/removal techniques, as well as the correct tools and paraphernalia for the job.

What it boils down to is that there's a right way and a wrong way to take care of your ride. There aren't any miracle products, nor are there any miracle techniques to make a 'Stang look stunning. It's really just you and your goals that will make or break your detail.

We're just scratching the surface (no pun intended) with this report. We hope the information is helpful and you'll apply what you've learned to your Mustang when it's ready for a detail.