Shell & Sharp: Here’s How to Protect Your Dream Car Inside and Out
You’ve saved, borrowed, and researched it for years, and now you finally have the keys to the vehicle of your dreams. It looks and sounds so beautiful, you’d prefer to keep it locked up in your garage — but where’s the fun in that? Short of hiding it away, there are some easy, and even surprising, ways to help protect the investment you’ve made in your car, inside and out.
THE OUTSIDE
You’ll likely find yourself wanting to wash and shine your baby every weekend. Consider finding a reputable auto detailer. They have the tools and know-how to save you some time and long-term headaches.
First, the car is sprayed with fresh water to rinse off the hard debris. While the water loosens the caked-on dirt, the pros pull the mats, vacuum the interior, and lovingly apply the materials needed to replenish and restore the leather, dash, and door panels.
The car is hosed off again and washed with a detergent specifically designed for automotive finishes. If you’re thinking about trying this at home using an all-purpose soap, be warned — it’s very harsh and can damage vehicle paint. Starting at the top, they work their way down using a proper wash mitt, not a sponge, which can absorb grit and turn into the equivalent of sandpaper.
The detailers then apply high-quality wax. It not only protects the paint, it helps keep the car looking new for longer. The pros use a wax and not a polish, which may contain abrasives designed to remove a miniscule layer of paint. This might brighten a faded finish, but an abrasive polish is bad news for the brilliant red lustre of a new Ferrari.
THE INSIDE
Today’s engines are becoming more complex, and the need to protect the inner workings is also increasingly important to performance. In addition to needing the correct octane, as recommended by the automaker, premium engines also need fuel with cleaning agents — and not all gasolines are the same.
Shell, for example, continues to test and evolve its fuels to meet the changing needs of modern engines — and that starts on the Formula One™ race track with its technical partner Scuderia Ferrari.
“Shell provides 50 fuel scientists across the globe to work on the Scuderia Ferrari partnership to give the team that competitive edge. And that’s a win for consumers, too, because the learnings from the track are transferred to Shell fuels for the road. The Shell V-Power race fuel used in the Scuderia Ferrari engine contains at least 99% of the same types of compounds used in the Shell V-Power NiTRO+ Premium Gasoline drivers are putting in their vehicles,” says Guy Lovett, Innovation Manager, Shell Motorsport.
“Shell V-Power NiTRO+ Premium Gasoline is the only performance fuel I trust, and I use it in my own Ferrari on and off the track,” confirms Sebastian Vettel, four-time Formula One™ world champion and Scuderia Ferrari Driver.
Shell V-Power NiTRO+ is the company’s newest premium gasoline, introduced last year to offer drivers the advantage of the best total engine protection from gunk, wear, and corrosion. Cleaning and protecting critical engine parts from the build-up of gunk, or carbon deposits left by low-quality gasoline, is key for direct-injection engines that rely on very fine holes to spray precise amounts of fuel into the combustion chamber. Dirty fuel injectors and valves can hinder performance.
“This unique, patented formula contains two key cleaning agents that work together in harmony to clean up gunk. It then forms a film on the metal engine surfaces and acts like a barrier to protect against wear and corrosion,” explains Sarina Arnold, Shell Fuels Specialist.
Without protection, corrosion may be inevitable. It’s often caused by moisture and other contaminants that make their way into a vehicle’s fuel tank. It can impact the fuel pump, fuel lines, and fuel injectors. Abrasive wear in the piston assembly occurs slowly over time, with potential detrimental effects, including higher oil consumption, loss of power, and higher emissions.
You have to fuel up anyway, and choosing a premium gasoline with triple-protection benefits is one of the easiest ways to proactively maintain your engine’s performance and help keep it running like new.
