Buying a new car is a great feeling. The smell of fresh leather as you The fresh smell of leather as you enter the car. The paintwork is gleaming and waxy smooth. You might even catch yourself stealing a glance at the reflection of your pride and joy as you drive it out your house.

Skip ahead by 12 months and see how your car looks now. Is it still gleaming new or does the paintwork look tired, dull and "old"? How can some cars look brand new even though they are already 3 years old? Why do others look "old" when it just rolled out the showroom 12 months ago?

The secret is in how you care for your car. It is easy to keep your car like new if you know how.

1) A Wash A Week Keeps Your Car Clean & Slick

Much as you wish that your car will remain clean by itself, it just won't happen. Dust will accumulate even if you just keep it in your garage. There's only one thing to do. Wash your car! It's very important that you wash your car especially after you've driven in the rain. If you let the water droplets dry naturally, especially under the hot sun, there will be tough-to-remove watermark stains on your paintwork.

The first thing you need to wash your car is a clean and soft terry cloth. Alternatively, you can use cloth diapers as well. You can get these easily at the baby's section in your local departmental store. They're cheap and it works. Of course, if you want to be posh, then get the Ultimate Wipe cloth from Meguiar's (http://www.fdcars.com/newsletter/n2-1.htm). You'll need a good car shampoo next. I personally use Meguiar's NXT Generation Car Wash (http://www.fdcars.com/newsletter/n2-2.htm). It's reasonably priced and a 64oz bottle will last you quite a while.

Start off by hosing down your car to remove any dirt, mud or grime. Then mix 3 caps-full of shampoo with around 20oz (a small bucket) of water. Apply the shampoo mixture to your car using the cloth/diaper. Hose off the shampoo once you've finished shampooing the car. Use your cloth under running water to wipe off any remaining shampoo residue. It is VERY important that you wipe your car dry with another clean terry cloth/diaper. Make sure your entire car is wiped dry.

Next, clean your rims. Brake dust normally accumulates there and cleaning it will make a huge difference in how your car looks. It's pointless to have clean paintwork you're your rims are dirty. It's also advisable to vacuum the inside of your car every week or every other week. You spend your time inside the car, so cleaning the interior just makes sense.

2) A Monthly Wax Keeps The Shine To The Max

Waxing your car will keep your paintwork gleaming new. You can either send it to an auto detailer or do it yourself. It's actually not that difficult to wax your car. If you have an hour or so of spare time, then try waxing your car yourself.

It's important that you wash and wipe dry your car before waxing. NEVER wax your car before washing/drying it! It's best to park your car under in a shady area when waxing. It makes sense to use a good carnauba wax like Meguiar's NXT Generation Tech Wax (http://www.fdcars.com/newsletter/n2-3.htm). Use the included sponge and apply the wax in a small circular motion. Wax your car one section at a time, remembering which section you started with. Finish applying wax on the entire car.

Wipe off the excess wax using a soft terry cloth/cloth diaper. Start with the first panel that you applied the wax and continue from there. You'll find the wax residue accumulating on your cloth. Shake it off periodically and continue to remove excess wax until you've finished all panels.

Look carefully and check for remaining wax residue. Use your cloth to clean any remaining residue.

To prepare your cloth for your next wax, wash it with a liquid softener. It's fine to use the liquid softener that you use for your clothes. This guarantees there isn't any remaining dirt/grime that may scratch your car during your next waxing session.

3) Wax Your Tyre Next O' Sire

For that shiny, wet look, wax your tyres after every wash/wax. Use Meguiar's Hot Shine High Gloss Tyre Spray (http://www.fdcars.com/newsletter/n2-4.htm). The trigger spray makes it easy to apply. You literally need less than 5 minutes for this but applying tyre spray/wax makes a big difference.

4) Condition That Leather To Help It Fight The Weather

Make sure you clean and condition your leather seats at least once every 2 months if you car comes with leather seats. Use Meguiar's Medallion Premium Leather Care conditioner (http://www.fdcars.com/newsletter/n2-5.htm). Apply the conditioner with a clean cloth/cloth diaper, leave for 15 minutes and wipe off excess conditioner. Your leather will look and smell like new if you do this every month.

While you're at it, clean any vinyl surface of your car using Meguiar's Vinyl & Leather Cleaner/Conditioner (http://www.fdcars.com/newsletter/n2-6.htm). This maintains the interior looking like new.

5) Your Car's Now Shiny So You Can Be Happy

Your car will look like it's brand new if you follow this routine. An hour or so every week pays huge dividends. Friends and family will think you've just bought a new car even though it's 3 years old. The best thing is when it comes time to sell your car. A car with gleaming new paintwork and a clean interior makes a strong impression and will automatically raise the selling price of your car!

P.S. The writer does not work for Meguiar's and only recommends the products as a satisfied customer.