Advice (Page 5)

Whether you’re pleasing yourself or attempting to attract a buyer, a quality vehicle deserves a deep clean. Here’s the Windrush guide on how to properly wash your car. The tools of car-washing have moved on from the hosepipes and sponges of your childhood. If you care enough about your pride and joy to find the best example, make the investment and adhere to the recommended maintenance programme, it is surely worth buying the equipment to achieve the professional finish that ensures admiring glances and might attract higher auction bids. If you’re wondering how to properly wash a car, rest assured that you don’t need expensive kit. A few key purchases will have your vehicle gleaming like new, and if you entrust your car to Windrush’s secure car storage services we will keep it that way. Before you learn the best washing technique – or sit back and relax as we take care of everything with our washing, drying and valeting services – here’s your shopping list. #1. Pressure Washer Not essential, but highly recommended, a pressure washer will blast stubborn debris from the car before handwashing begins. You have a choice between the cheaper ‘cold’ washers that spray tap-temperature water, or the more expensive ‘hot’ models that heat it up with an internal boiler. Follow your budget, but if you’re wondering how to properly wash a car before a sale or long-term car storage, our experts recommend the latter, for a more effective and pleasant cleaning process, especially in the colder months. Just be aware: while some hot washers can reach temperatures of 100 degrees-plus, 45 degrees is ample to soften grime without damaging your paint finish. #2. Pair of lambswool wash mitts The trusty yellow sponge might be an icon, but it can also trap dirt and grit, scratching paintwork in the process. At Windrush, we use and recommend a lambswool wash mitt (don’t settle for cotton or a synthetic blend). This unique material draws dirt particles into the deep pile, well away from the painted surfaces being washed. Plus, because this isn’t matted wool, the dirt easily rinses out. Meanwhile, the thick pile holds a huge amount of soapy water to lubricate and protect paint from potential swirls. When you bring your vehicle to Windrush – for long term car storage or our other services – you’ll see our specialist car washers using two mitts: one just for the upper body, and the second only for the really grimy jobs like sills and lower vehicle sections. #3. Pair of deep buckets   Two is the magic number here. You need the first bucket for wash suds and the second for the all-important rinse, which removes any grit particles that have been drawn into the deep pile of your wash mitt – instead of dragging them all over your vehicle. Translucent buckets are best, so you can see at a glance when dirt is building up and the water needs replacing. Meanwhile, if you’re wondering how to properly wash a car without risking scratches, the connoisseur’s choice are grit guards: a specialist mesh inserted in the bottom of both buckets, locking any debris safely into a baffled section. #4. Pair of wheel brushes (large/small) Most modern cars have alloy wheels: great for impressing when clean, but a slight nuisance when removing brake dust. To make the process easier, you’ll need two good-quality wheel brushes in varied sizes: a large one for the main face and a smaller, thinner type for between the spokes and the back of the wheel. Don’t be tempted to use your wash mitt on your wheels, unless you buy a dedicated one solely for this purpose. At Windrush Car Storage, our specialist car washing service uses four wheel brushes to achieve the best results, with size, shape and softness depending on the wheel type. #5. Good quality drying towel We’re often asked how to wash a car in winter but drying your vehicle with a premium towel afterwards is just as important, ensuring a beautifully smear and spot-free finish, with no moisture left behind. In fact, all year round, the soft and ultra-deep pile will be far more absorbent than traditional leather, capable of absorbing many times its own weight in water, while the ultra-soft fibres significantly reduce the risk of damaged paint. A generous-sized drying towel will let you dry most cars without needing to wring it out even once – and is machine-washable for safe use, time and time again. #6. Shampoo and alloy wheel cleaner Don’t be tempted to scrimp with paintwork-damaging household detergents. If the priority is how to properly wash a car, then a serious car wash shampoo is a must, especially when paired with a conditioner containing a simple rinse aid. Most car product brands sell both of these, and for just a few pounds, you can clean your vehicle’s surfaces gently, without stripping wax or paint sealant. Shampoo is fine for wheels, too, if you regularly wash your vehicle. But if your alloys have been a little neglected lately, invest in a good-quality, dedicated wheel cleaner: it’ll be much better for removing baked-on brake dust. If you go this route, choose a non-acidic cleaner, which will be kinder to your wheel surfaces: the label should give you the information you need. #7. Rely on Windrush for washing, drying and valeting/detailing For many of us, washing our car is a pleasure, representing a chance to spend a little time nurturing our vehicle and even spotting issues that might be missed during the day-to-day. But when life gets busy, turn to Windrush for our specialist washing, drying and valeting/detailing services. Whether your vehicle is with us for a dedicated deep clean, or long-term car storage, we’ll give it the full treatment inside and out – and return it to you ready to impress. To learn more about Windrush secure car storage and our other services, get in touch today.  

EV might be the buzzword of our times, but battery isn’t the only option when it comes to future fuelling. From Porsche to BAC, our classic car storage team considers some of the companies pushing alternative fuels from drawing board towards reality The case for an EV alternative The automotive industry has taken BEV (battery electric vehicles) to heart with a stream of new models launched onto the open market. Right now, with the good weather, EV owners are enjoying increased range but claims on social media of ‘charger rage’ mean the positives of longer road trips are outweighed by the possibility of an argument at the services. What is charger rage, you ask? Apparently it comes about when a large number of cars are queuing to charge, and drivers get frustrated or when tempers flare due to a driver attempting to jump the queue. Fortunately, these instances are rare, and we can’t ignore the sheer variety and diversity of electric vehicles now offered: from supercars to sports cars and vans to family cars there has never been so much choice. But is there another way? We already know the carbon cost of creating an EV takes longer to ‘pay back’ than the equivalent petrol car, according to a very honest report by electric vehicle manufacturer Polestar. Add that to charger issues, lower range in winter and a high purchase price when new, one hopes a suitable alternative will be found. And that’s before we consider the lost elements an enthusiast would miss, namely engine noise, manual gearboxes and overall mechanical soul and character. Harnessing Hydrogen British supercar brand BAC, makers of the road-legal Mono single seater, recently announced a Hydrogen fuel cell study e-Mono which will lap Silverstone faster than the petrol-powered Mono-R while giving a real-world range of 166 miles. One of the main challenges of converting a 555kg Mono supercar to zero-emissions is how to retain its ultra-light weight, especially as converting to battery-electric would make the car 50% heavier. In addition, while BEV cars can go just as fast as a petrol-engined alternative, the joy of a track-focused supercar is its agility and responsiveness through corners. It was accepted that the combination of a fuel cell, a hydrogen storage tank and a battery pack would be heavier than a petrol engine, but if kept to a manageable weight, it would not compromise the Mono’s legendary agility. The result is a battery pack which produces 265 bhp, with a fuel cell producing 107 bhp, and 3kg motors on the front wheels which provides an additional 55 bhp per motor and all-wheel drive. The design was put through a series of simulation tests, in which the e-Mono shaved two seconds off the Mono R Silverstone lap time (2.04.3 vs 2.06.3). The combination of fuel cell and battery resulted in the capability to run 10 fast laps of Silverstone between refuelling. On-road range is calculated at 166 miles on the official WLTP cycle, approximately 140 miles in realistic use. Improvements in fuel cell efficiency will enable an increase in range of a further 50% by 2024, without any increase in powertrain size or weight. Synthetic solutions Meanwhile, Porsche has started trials of its own synthetic fuel which will be compatible with unmodified combustion engines. The company has announced an ambition of developing a plant for commercial production of synthetic fuels on an industrial scale, producing 55 million litres by 2024, and roughly ten times that amount by 2026. Porsche CEO Oliver Blume outlined the motive for the project: “Their advantages lie in their ease of application: e-fuels can be used in combustion engines and plug-in hybrids and can make use of the existing network of filling stations. The general idea behind these synthetic fuels is that there is no change to the engine necessary, unlike what we have seen with E10 and E20, so really, everybody can use it, and we are testing with the regular specs of pump fuel.” Future fuelling So, while electric vehicles are the current darlings of the automotive world, our zero-emissions future could offer a range of propulsion options. It’s not beyond the realms of possibility to imagine a fuel station offering synthetic fuels, hydrogen, and electric charging under one roof allowing owners to make a choice. There’s no doubt that allowing ICE cars to live on via e-fuel is hugely advantageous, and it seems the automotive future may be brighter than many of us had dared to hope. Choose Windrush for EV storage and beyond At Windrush, we’re proud to be open-minded, ready to embrace traditions while moving with the times and adapting our luxury car storage solution to whatever lies ahead. Since our formation, we’ve welcomed every stripe of ICE car to our facilities in central London and the Cotswolds, adapting our prestige car storage solution to the specifics of each individual model. Meanwhile, in modern times, we’ve evolved to become specialists in EV storage – and rest assured that we’ll continue to provide the best long term car storage solution, whatever the future of fuelling. Turn to Windrush for the highest standards in prestige car storage. We’re waiting to hear from you on info@windrushcarstorage.co.uk