Back in 2017, I bought a one-year-old Suzuki Grand Vitara 2.4 4×4. It was a Suzuki SA vehicle that had been used in Ultimate Braaimaster, a cooking competition that was based on contestants travelling to cool destinations around the country and cooking up a storm. The cars which were sponsored by Suzuki SA were then sold through their dealer network. I bought the Vitara from Suzuki Bramley. It has been a great car and I have used it as my holiday vehicle. It has seen Namibia, Lesotho, and Botswana on numerous occasions. Now I am facing a bit of a quandary.
The Vitara is in excellent condition and has been adapted for how I use it. It has fittings for an X-Ramp, enabling me to load a bike behind the vehicle should I need to. It also has airbags fitted inside the rear suspension coils allowing me to compensate for load.
Great for the X-Ramp as well as for when I load the vehicle with all my camping stuff. Years ago, I also fitted Melville and Moon seat covers to protect the seats. They fit like factory seat covers and are superb. I have changed the standard rims for 17 inches, allowing fitment of decent BF Goodrich All-Terrain tyres. Thule roof rails accommodate my OZ Tent as well as Thule roof pod, which takes all my light but bulky items like bedding, groundsheets and the like. The Grand Vitara has accumulated 115,000 k’s of open road kilometres, which is not much, but it is now 8 years old.
Do I keep it or sell it? It meets my needs perfectly and is Suzuki reliable. Upgrading to a current suitable vehicle is going to incur a cost of at least R500,000 in addition to what my vehicle is worth were I to sell it. Ouch!! I have wrestled with this question for a while now and have decided that a paid-for Vitara is way more appealing than the thought of incurring a huge debt to buy a new bling 4×4. So here is the thing. I have decided to go through my Vitara with a fine-tooth comb and freshen it up for years of more faithful service. I have habitually kept my vehicles clean but now I want to deep clean the Vitara. This will also afford me the opportunity to check for issues which may need attention.
Enter Liqui Moly Car Care Products…
My priorities for the first clean were to clean ingrained dirt that escapes normal washing and wiping down, both inside and outside the car. For example, where badges are attached to the body grime accumulates over time. It is no big deal, but it detracts from the overall impression of cleanliness. Similarly, the door rubbers don’t always get cleaned and preserved properly, leading to cracking and hardening, which reduces their efficiency. The two Liqui Moly products that I pressed into service on my first cleaning quest were Super K Cleaner and ‘Gummipflege’ Rubber Care Spray.
Liqui Moly Super K Cleaner is a potent universally applicable cleaner that is suitable for metal surfaces, plastics, and textiles both in and on your vehicle. It comes in a 250mm spray bottle which makes it a doddle to use. You literally spray it on the dirt, give it a moment and then, before it dries, wipe it clean.
I agitated the badges with a soft paintbrush to allow the Super K to get into every nook and cranny, then I washed it off. Inside the car, I attacked everything that resembled dirt with Super K and a soft cloth. The result was a beautifully clean interior and bling badges, restored to their pristine glory. Oh, and if your gym shoes are looking a bit gungy, Super K will clean them up too. A pleasant citrus aroma lingers to leave everything smelling as good as it looks.
With the car washed and clean, it was time to take to the door rubbers. They were a little grey and stained after 7 years of wear and tear but still soft and pliable. I sprayed the Gummipflege onto a soft cloth and got stuck in. Every millimetre of door rubber got rubbed up with a liberal application of the good stuff. The result? Restored! Black and glowing with an as new lustre.
I was so chuffed with the results that I took to the spare wheel on the back of my car and gave that the treatment too. And here is the other thing. It is a special feeling when you lavish attention on something that has served you well, and then stand back and survey your handiwork.
I am so pleased that I decided to keep Suzi. It is a known entity and now I realise that the products are out there to keep it looking good and functional. Regular applications of Gummipflege will keep the rubbers supple and protected. I can unequivocally endorse these products. Watch out for updates on Project Suzi. She is most definitely a keeper!
For more information on Liqui Moly’s car care products, visit: www.shop.liqui-moly.co.za
