Interior
It does not take a lot of effort to keep your interior in top shape. But a neglected interior will draw angry looks at cruise night. California Car Duster makes cool, dashboard-sized dusters that you can hide under the seat. Once a month, wipe the dash with a vinyl protectant. It helps keep the dashpad from cracking over time. We prefer the low-gloss products. Metal dashboards and trim also benefit from polish and a coat of wax.
Shiny tires are OK. | 
Interiors need love too. | 
Quick detailer sprays are a blessing to those of us who have to park outside. They are a good way to combat the day-to-day assaults of dust, dirt, and bird "fallout." |
Deep scratches and Machine Polish
Unless you keep your car in a bubble, it's only matter of time until the paint gets scratched. No need to panic, though, when that happens. Here's how we took dog toenail scratches out of one of our commuters. (Greg's Nova was too nice to demonstrate on.)
Think of rubbing compound like sanding body filler or primer. You start with a heavy grit and work down to finer grits. The same holds true with rubbing compound, which really is like liquid sandpaper. After applying the compound, you now need to smooth out the area with a less abrasive polish and follow up with a coat of wax. Victory Wax is a new company that is marketing a line of products specially designed to be applied by a random-orbiting polisher. The kit Victory sent us included the polisher, pads, and several bottles of polish, wax, and quick detailer, and we were impressed with the ease of use and quality of the finish when we were done.
Nothing gets out deep scratches like rubbing compound, and it works so well because it removes a layer of paint. Needless to say, you need to be careful when using it to keep from removing too much paint and potentially burning through the clearcoat. On a small spot like this, pour a small amount on a terry-cloth towel and rub the area of the scratch with moderate to firm pressure. Working by hand like this is much less risky than using a high-speed buffer. | 
As you're working with the rubbing compound, you'll actually see the scratch disappear. As soon as it's gone, wipe the compound off with a soft towel. | 
The advantage random-orbiting polishers have over rotary buffers is that they are much easier for the hobbyist to handle. They operate at lower speeds and do not generate the heat and friction that can burn through paint the way high-speed buffers do. Plus, the random-orbiting action leaves absolutely no swirl marks. |
'No water has touched Greg's Nova since it was painted. He keeps it garaged and maintains its shine with quick detailer. Here's us mocking up the car wash scene for the photo shoot.