Hi, We just bought a beautiful 2008 GT/CS convertible in Vista Blue. We have not previously owned such an awesome car, and we have no idea how to maintain the pristine body and interior. Any suggestions regarding when/how to wash, wax, wheel maintenance, ragtop care (it is the upgraded cloth top), leather interior, chrome finishes, etc, are GREATLY appreciated! We are so excited about our newest baby! Thanks!

 

[quote=SIZZLN;5900463] Hi, We just bought a beautiful 2008 GT/CS convertible in Vista Blue. We have not previously owned such an awesome car, and we have no idea how to maintain the pristine body and interior. Any suggestions regarding when/how to wash, wax, wheel maintenance, ragtop care (it is the upgraded cloth top), leather interior, chrome finishes, etc, are GREATLY appreciated! We are so excited about our newest baby! Thanks!

SIZZLN: Welcome aboard, your a very Lucky Dog!! With the CAL owners it is kind of a love affair owning one of these babies, as it is also with most diehard Mustang-ers. A GT/CS is a very good choice for having a fun and very fine dream ride!! Trust me, I promise you are really going to love this one!!

Everyone out there has their own ideas of how to best take care of these beauties! And this is just the very site to get great and very informative info on how to maintain your GT/CS. We have a very strong TMS membership here with oceans of knowledge and tons of very good advice for you also!!

That being said, now hoping that some of our TMS group will now chime in with info for helping to get a newer member of our Mustang family on board with learning just how it is all done! CalStang

 

Get an air conditioned, hermetically sealed vault, put the Mustang in it, and it will stay beautiful forever.

/Probably a little extreme, but you know it'll work.

 

GT/CS ftw, black is the fastest color it's been dyno proven but congrats! I got lazy on my washes, but I use meguiars quick wax here and there good stuff.

 

A GT/CS is a worthwhile object for obsessive maintenance, but because of modern technology it isn't required. Good choice.

Your Owner's Guide has a decent guide in it; of course they want you to use the Ford products, and you'll eventually find those or others that will meet your needs. Almost anything that carries the name of a major supplier will not hurt your car; I like Meguiar's stuff, generally, because it works good and easy, because I attended a Car Care class at their place in So Cal, and because I like the smell of theirs better than others.

The Meguiar's Forum is loaded with experts, and anything you learn there is likely to transfer to other brands as well.
Meguiar On Line

There are those who will declare they'sve found a "best" in any category of products; I believe that is less important than developing a system of regular maintenance with something you like to work with. Of course the companies who make that stuff have to keep coming up with something new, so they will have to say the same kind of thing. One year there were three "ultimate" products by three different manufacturers, and the next year they all said their products were even better. Right.

One thing to remember: no matter how perfect you manage to make your car today, tomorrow its condition will have deteriorated. Your decision will be: What level of perfection do you want to maintain? If you keep a fairly high level (and actually use your car for transportation and so forth), it won't take much to maintain it, maybe just one day a week. If you turn it into a "garage queen" and keep it in that hermetically sealed environment, not much activity required. If you maintain a moderate interest in the condition, and have a garage and/or a good car cover, one day a month will probably keep you satisfied.

My most basic advice is: Think of your car as if it were a nice lawn; it's going to require work to keep it up, but if you do the usual on schedule, you can have a nice one with moderate work, or a perfect one with daily attention. Your choice.

One specific hint: look at that matte-black plastic surrounding your cockpit and tail lights: NEVER, EVER get any "wax" products on it. You can get it back to the same color again, but it will be smooth and shiny, and not the same thing you ruined by carelessness and inattention.

Welcome to Nice Car Country. The initiation has just begun.

 

Welcome!!!

+1 to everything said above. As wussy as it sounds, Jaeger Bros removable mud flaps have saved the side of the car on many occassions.

I drive mine year round (rain, salt etc) and wash one a week, wax once a month.

NXT 2.0 works great, Quick detailer all of the time and clay bar twice a year.

Stay away from cleaner waxes..don't use them on a regular basis. I use it when I clay bar.

Get some good towels, microfiber and keep them clean.

All of the Meguiars interior stuff is good.

Which ever method you choose stick to it with quality products. Your car will look great for a long time.

 

This is what I do with my Vista Blue.
I do take it out on sunny days.
Car is in better than showroom condition after 4 years.
.
I just bought a 2nd Mustang for a Rainstang.
I assume you are planning a less rigorous protection plan.

 

Welcome & Good Luck....I am kind a nut on keeping my Vista Blue cleand and wash it 2-3 times a wekk and use Meguires Ultimate detail after washing, I live in New England so I clay it about 2-3 times a year again Meguirers then wax witht their NXT 2....I found a good product for your vinyal & rubber called VRT from Adam's that is great for all your rubber,plastic & vinyal trim. I also made the mistake of getting some wax on the rear diffuser that would not come off but the VRT does a great job making the diffuser & front spoiler look like it came off the production line....

Just wash it, wax it, keep it clean & most of all enjoy it

 

Welcome to the GT/CS family! All the suggestions above are great. I also use Meguiars products and think they offer the best bang for the buck. One specific thing I do at least once a year or everytime they're off the car is to wash and wax the entire wheel surface front and back. Keeps them looking good and the brake dust doesn't stick as much.