[Mustangmom2k]

Yeah, I use Meguiar's Endurance tire gel, too. It comes in a black bottle, but the gel is purple and smells like grapes. I love the stuff because it lasts a long time and doesn't sling any oily residue up onto the car. It also won't turn your tires brown after a few days like some products I've tried. It shines really well, and they also make a high gloss version, which I've never tried. I think mine came with a little spongy applicator thingy with a "handle" which I love because the stuff feels creepy (kind of slimy) if you get it on your hands. It has never affected my traction, I guess because it only goes onto the sidewalls. And another tip...I use this stuff on all my black plactic trim and it works like a charm! The cowl trim, the mirror housings, and the rubber along the base of the windows, although you don't want to get it on the paint. It makes all the trim very glossy and lasts a long time (weeks).

Whatever wax/polish you use, you should only use 100% cotton rags/towels to apply/buff with. I personally use Gerber diapers because you can buy a 6 pack for about $8, then I cut them in half and wind up with 12 rags.

For my dash, I actually don't use anything on it, especially not anything glossy because I don't like the nasty glare I get from the windshield. I just keep it dusted (I have a little duster in the door pocket that I use just about every time I get in the car...how anal is that?). I suppose I should eventually start putting something on the dash if only to protect it from drying out, but I haven't really looked for anything yet.

For the glass, I find that every household window/glass cleaner streaks, so I usually use a newspaper wetted with plain old vinegar (smelly!), then I dry the glass with a dry wadded-up newspaper. This is a century-old way to clean glass, but it works really well. You won't get any streaks, plus the vinegar will dissolve and eliminate water spots if you have them. (This will work on the paint, too, if you want to get rid of water spots that aren't etched into the paint yet. But don't use a newspaper on the paint unless you want to scratch it all up!) I also have the Zaino glass cleaner, which I use occasionally, but I discovered that you have to use it VERY sparingly or you'll never get it all off. It's sort of greasy/smeary if you use too much. By too much I mean a blob the size of a nickel on a rag is too much! A blob about the size of a pea will do all the glass on my car...inside and out!

Sheesh! Didn't mean to be so long-winded!