Hi everyone,

I am a proud owner of a 2007 Carbon Bronze EX-L V6 accord. Im not sure what to do first, but I want to make my car stand out because there are so many accords in my area now. Does anyone have any ideas? Im more of anappearance guy and maybe some tweaking in the handling department.

2nd Question. How durable is the saftey latch on the hood. Long story short. I pop the hood open a month ago at the gas station whileI pumped the gas to check the engine out but because my nephews were crying and we all know how that goes and i forgot anddrove all the way for 35 minutes back home with the hood slightly open but I didnt release the safety latch thank god so do you think there was any damage done. The car drove so quiet, I didnt even hear noises until I slowed down for the city limit.

 

You've proven the latch to be very durable already, have you not?

Why not start with protecting the paint and wheels? Clay, polish, and seal are practical starting points. Also get some products together now to clean and protect the leather. Believe me it's much easier to keep it clean and nice as opposed to letting it go downhill before you start on it.

 

I'm with RTF. Claybar (max - once a year), pre-wax cleaner (Step1, anti-oxidation), paint sealer (Step 2, I like Maguires here), IBIZ wax (online order, easiest 6 month wax I've tried), Ultimate detailer spray finish.(Maguires I think, creates a layer like Rain-Ex)

MOST IMPORTANT PART: MICROFIBER CLOTHS ONLY!!!! I use the orange Target 16x16" cloths. They come in a 10 or 12 pack and are under $15. Rip all tags off and shake out before using. Fold in quarters and change sides frequently.

Most good products come off easiest when they are applied sparingly. You want to cover the entire surface, but not have extra product. Extra will make it harder to wipe off.

After you do all of this, no more car washes! Car washes have dirt trapped in the sponges that will scratch your paint. You are better off spray detailing your car twice a week. Hose down the car if it's real bad. When you get used to it, a full spray detail including door jambs and around the trunk lip will only take about 15 minutes.

Finally, a Budge Shield car cover will protect all of your efforts. It takes me 2 minutes to put it on and 1 minute to take it off; well worth it as compared to the 4 hour job detailed here. I keep it in the trunk folded like an accordian and pull it straight back onto the ground, pull the front over the roof, hook it over the side mirrors, cover the rear bumper and then pull it over the front (easiest way I've found).

This will make your new car have a showroom shine and finish.

...... don't forget the doorjambs, trunk lip, sideview mirrors and wheels/tires



FIX YOUR SIGNATURE ...... YEAR/TRIM/DOORS ARE A MINIMUM

 

Headlights and taillights are an easy upgrade that make the car look unique. Cat-back or axle-back exhaust also. What about a custom pinstripe or 2? There are black-outs for the taillights, but they can get you into trouble depending on the cop where you live. Window tint. Sound system upgrades.

As far as handling goes, I highly recommend the parts that I have (see below). I've held 0.90g on my G-Timer and hit 0.95g's. That's sick for a full-size sedan! If you want to start cheap, get the reinforcement bars (strut bar and rear tie bar, they may make a rear upper, front lower and/or X-brace for your year).

If you intend to lower the car over an inch you will need camber adjustments. When I installed my suspension, I had the offset bolt type adjusters and they were dead in a year. The full control arm with adjustment is much better (2.5 times the price, but they haven't had any problems in 2 years).

Good luck with the new car!!!!

 

Ok.. Thanks for the advice guys. I probably will install a strut bar and headlights first. Also, I use Eagle One Wet car wash and that stuff works great. But Im not really notgood with waxing cars so I may have to leave that to a professional detailer. Lets just say I have learned from the past . I tinted my windows like the second week I purchased the car due to the summer weather in Georgia.[sm=boohoo.gif]

 

You're going to pay a mint to have a detailer do that 5 step finish. It's easy! Look online for tips. Also, you really can't mess up with IBIZ. It doesn't care about heat, doesn't have to dry before you wipe it off and goes on and off very easily. The spray detail should be done about twice a week and completely replaces washing and it's much quicker. Good luck!!!

 

Twice a week? I like deatiling my cars, but that's too much of a time committment. I dont have any problems paying a detailer a c note twice a year for that. I'll clean it in the interim.

 

I wash my car once a week and clean out the interior. Since it rains alot in the summer time, water spots(acid rain)are a common thing. So thats why I have to consistently stay washing 24/7. I try to avoid wash and wax products due to wax buildup on the paint.

 

Smaglik: A half hour a week is too much? You'll spend more time driving to the car wash and waiting in line, not to mention driving home and getting small scratches from the carwash. I only spray detail twice a week, not wax - that's every 3 months or when the spray detailer gets hard to wipe off. The other stuff is twice a year, except for the clay which is once a year at most.

Honman: I don't use any wash products, so wash/wax buildup is not a problem. Also, the Meguires Ultimate Detailer makes rain bead off of your car like rain-ex to avoid water marks. Also, any watermarks that are left should wipe right off with a microfiber towel.

 

If the water is still making small beads, I dont see any reason to do anything but clean it.