First time owning a car. Beginners advice please? - Toyota Yaris Forums

bchaney3 · 02-22-2014, 11:24 PM

Hey guys. A few days ago I took home a 2007 Toyota Yaris sedan. It is the very first car that I've owned. I have a ton of questions, but staying with the forum subjects, what I was hoping for is advice on keeping my car nice clean and shiny.

I'm not sure what tools to get, what products, etc. It's red paint, if that matters at all. And I'm really in the mindset that I am going to take care of it to the best of my ability, from keeping it clean to keeping it running.

Thank you all for reading, hopefully somebody can help a new Yaris owner out.

MyzticZ3r0 · 02-23-2014, 04:58 AM

Welcome bchaney3! For keeping the exterior clean, a safe brand to get is Meguiars or Mothers products. What part of the country do you live in? I wash my car on a monthly basis while I wax it every three months. Wash> towel dry > apply wax> buff. If you want to remove contaminates from your paint, look into a clay bar. As for the interior, in my area, it gets dusty fairly quickly. I haven't found any interior products I like yet - if I use a product on my dash, it'll be highly reflective. I use a swifter to collect the dust and a wet towel to wipe away everything else.

As for maintenance, did the previous owner document anything? Spark plugs? Brakes? Serpentine belt? Alternator belt? Always stay on top of your oil changes and your fluids. The car is relatively inexpensive to maintenance so you made a great choice. There's a huge part of the forum dedicated to maintenance, check it out when you get a chance.

bairjo · 02-24-2014, 10:02 AM

I would recommend the 3M clear bra. I have 60,000 plus miles on my 2010 without a single chip or blemish of any kind. These are freeway miles so the sand stones and whatever are a lot more damaging when they make contact with your paint....not with the clear bra though. You can get a pre cut kit on ebay or buy it by the bulk roll. Some will send you a CD showing the tricks on how to do the install....it is not hard to do. Good luck and enjoy your new buggy...

jpmck03 · 02-24-2014, 06:05 PM

I don't know if you've been on reddit before, but they have a pretty active subreddit about auto detailing... I've been browsing it off and on this winter, and there's some good info there!

/r/autodetailing

ijaen · 03-02-2014, 01:23 PM

You can also check Detailing World, they are pretty complete when it comes to DIY recommendations.
The first thing to do is to wash it properly to avoid swirl marks and further damage to the paint. Use a good quality microfiber wash mitt, a good quality soap (I use Meguiars Gold Class) and dry the car with a good drying towel by patting gently the paint and not dragging it. I also use the 3M Quick Wax spray to help with the drying process. When washing please use the 2 buckets method, one bucket with your soapy suds water and a second bucket with the "dirty" rinse water, this will help keep the washing mitt as clean as possible so you don't drag the dirt through your paint causing damage.
Wax a couple times a year, just before winter so road salt slides from the paint and never let the paint get so dirty that you have to scrub it.
That should be enough for the average driver.
Should you need more details feel free to ask.

02-22-2014, 11:24 PM	#1
bchaney3 I've made a post! Drives: 2007 Yaris Sedan Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: United States Posts: 1	First time owning a car. Beginners advice please? Hey guys. A few days ago I took home a 2007 Toyota Yaris sedan. It is the very first car that I've owned. I have a ton of questions, but staying with the forum subjects, what I was hoping for is advice on keeping my car nice clean and shiny. I'm not sure what tools to get, what products, etc. It's red paint, if that matters at all. And I'm really in the mindset that I am going to take care of it to the best of my ability, from keeping it clean to keeping it running. Thank you all for reading, hopefully somebody can help a new Yaris owner out.

02-24-2014, 06:05 PM	#4
jpmck03 View User's Garage Drives: 2018 Volkswagen GTI Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: PA Posts: 893	I don't know if you've been on reddit before, but they have a pretty active subreddit about auto detailing... I've been browsing it off and on this winter, and there's some good info there! /r/autodetailing __________________ my {(retired) ride} - {mi ssk: review, diy} - {mi lw cp: review, diy} - {foglight install} - {painted emblem: experiment, diy}

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Gwasabi (Yoshi) - Photo-Scavenger Hunt!	gwasabi	Photo-Video-Media Gallery	24	03-07-2009 11:23 AM
Photo-Scavenger Hunt - THE LIST	Black Yaris	Photo-Video-Media Gallery	22	03-04-2009 08:35 PM
YAR1S - Photo Scavenger Hunt!	YAR1S	Photo-Video-Media Gallery	4	03-02-2009 07:44 PM
Black Yaris - Photo-Scavenger Hunt	Black Yaris	Photo-Video-Media Gallery	2	03-01-2009 04:13 PM
Arkhangel - Photo-Scavenger Hunt	Arkhangel	Photo-Video-Media Gallery	0	03-01-2009 02:03 PM

02-23-2014, 04:58 AM	#2
MyzticZ3r0 View User's Garage Drives: 2007 Toyota Yaris Hatchback Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 323	Welcome bchaney3! For keeping the exterior clean, a safe brand to get is Meguiars or Mothers products. What part of the country do you live in? I wash my car on a monthly basis while I wax it every three months. Wash> towel dry > apply wax> buff. If you want to remove contaminates from your paint, look into a clay bar. As for the interior, in my area, it gets dusty fairly quickly. I haven't found any interior products I like yet - if I use a product on my dash, it'll be highly reflective. I use a swifter to collect the dust and a wet towel to wipe away everything else. As for maintenance, did the previous owner document anything? Spark plugs? Brakes? Serpentine belt? Alternator belt? Always stay on top of your oil changes and your fluids. The car is relatively inexpensive to maintenance so you made a great choice. There's a huge part of the forum dedicated to maintenance, check it out when you get a chance.

02-24-2014, 10:02 AM	#3
bairjo Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 603	I would recommend the 3M clear bra. I have 60,000 plus miles on my 2010 without a single chip or blemish of any kind. These are freeway miles so the sand stones and whatever are a lot more damaging when they make contact with your paint....not with the clear bra though. You can get a pre cut kit on ebay or buy it by the bulk roll. Some will send you a CD showing the tricks on how to do the install....it is not hard to do. Good luck and enjoy your new buggy...

03-02-2014, 01:23 PM	#5
ijaen First time Toyota owner Drives: 2014 Yaris sedan / Vios Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Panama city, Panama. Posts: 19	You can also check Detailing World, they are pretty complete when it comes to DIY recommendations. The first thing to do is to wash it properly to avoid swirl marks and further damage to the paint. Use a good quality microfiber wash mitt, a good quality soap (I use Meguiars Gold Class) and dry the car with a good drying towel by patting gently the paint and not dragging it. I also use the 3M Quick Wax spray to help with the drying process. When washing please use the 2 buckets method, one bucket with your soapy suds water and a second bucket with the "dirty" rinse water, this will help keep the washing mitt as clean as possible so you don't drag the dirt through your paint causing damage. Wax a couple times a year, just before winter so road salt slides from the paint and never let the paint get so dirty that you have to scrub it. That should be enough for the average driver. Should you need more details feel free to ask.