Odds and Ends

^ this.....
 
Which is exactly why I setup my business model like I did.  I use what I sell and sell what I use.  While my shop is not 100% exclusively Adam's, the other products on my retail shelves are chemicals like RaggTopp and Xenit which Adam's does not offer.  I also have some brushes and towels that Adam's used to sell but stopped carrying for whatever reason.  I still like (and use) such products and believe in them so I continue to stock them for my retail customers.

You should drive West towards Dulles Aipport and come see me in Sterling.  No need to wait for shipping.....
 
Welcome to the forums!

A little late to this thread, but that's not a "badge", but simply a vinyl sticker.  Being a new car, it should peel right off.  A little adhesive remover will clean up anything left around the edges and you're good to go.  

You need to finish it with a white foam pad and finishing polish on speed 4 or 5.  Orange foam and/or orange microfiber will only finish down so far.  

You need to finish it with a white foam pad and finishing polish on speed 4 or 5.  Orange foam and/or orange microfiber will only finish down so far.  

Diluted APC followed by TID would be fine on most hard, non-porous materials but be careful on leather and dyed stuff. You are correct that TID isn't a fantastic cleaner but it's not designed to be.

Diluted APC followed by TID would be fine on most hard, non-porous materials but be careful on leather and dyed stuff. You are correct that TID isn't a fantastic cleaner but it's not designed to be.

Diluted APC followed by TID would be fine on most hard, non-porous materials but be careful on leather and dyed stuff. You are correct that TID isn't a fantastic cleaner but it's not designed to be.

I'm guessing the wheels are off the car and/or no tires mounted?
 
Get some of the blue "no scratch" scrubbie pads at your local Wally World or Dollar store.  Wear gloves.  Use Deep Wheel Cleaner liberally....you'll need multiple applications.  Do a small section at a time so that the wheel cleaner doesn't "run off".  Let it soak each time.   LIGHTLY agitate the caked on stuff with the blue scrubbie each application and it will gradually be less and less.  Once you get it down to a manageable level, switch to a regular wheel brush like the Fender Brush since it has a little stiffer bristles but not crazy stiff that it will scratch.  

My two garage queens sometimes have to go outside for a day or two when my shop is full of customer cars, so here's what I do for them.
 
Foam gun, rinse, pull inside, air dry with compressor (or equivalent) and then dry with detail spray.  
 
If I have any doubts whatsoever about the amount of dirt or if it has rained at all, then out come the buckets and wash mit.  If your desert dust is very fine, then I would use Rinseless/Waterless in a pressurized sprayer and use multiple waffle weaves to wipe/dry it off.

I know how you can get stuff and not have to pay for and/or wait on shipping.....

Here's a quick pic of the "after show, customer appreciation party".
 

Yup, LPS works fine on matte finishes.  As Roger mentioned, they will have a little "sheen" to them but it's not going to turn them gloss black or anything crazy.  I think I would recommend HGG during your wash routine.  Less work and good protection.
 
Of course, the whole purpose of winter wheels is to let them take the brunt of winter and keep your nice wheels nice!  I do seasonal swaps on two of my vehicles and rarely give them a thorough cleaning.....I just hit them with APC and Wheel Cleaner a couple of times per season and then when they're off the car, I hit the barrels to get them ready for next year.  

Here's a quick pic of the "after show, customer appreciation party".
 

Yup, LPS works fine on matte finishes.  As Roger mentioned, they will have a little "sheen" to them but it's not going to turn them gloss black or anything crazy.  I think I would recommend HGG during your wash routine.  Less work and good protection.
 
Of course, the whole purpose of winter wheels is to let them take the brunt of winter and keep your nice wheels nice!  I do seasonal swaps on two of my vehicles and rarely give them a thorough cleaning.....I just hit them with APC and Wheel Cleaner a couple of times per season and then when they're off the car, I hit the barrels to get them ready for next year.  

Yup, LPS works fine on matte finishes.  As Roger mentioned, they will have a little "sheen" to them but it's not going to turn them gloss black or anything crazy.  I think I would recommend HGG during your wash routine.  Less work and good protection.
 
Of course, the whole purpose of winter wheels is to let them take the brunt of winter and keep your nice wheels nice!  I do seasonal swaps on two of my vehicles and rarely give them a thorough cleaning.....I just hit them with APC and Wheel Cleaner a couple of times per season and then when they're off the car, I hit the barrels to get them ready for next year.  

Yup, LPS works fine on matte finishes.  As Roger mentioned, they will have a little "sheen" to them but it's not going to turn them gloss black or anything crazy.  I think I would recommend HGG during your wash routine.  Less work and good protection.
 
Of course, the whole purpose of winter wheels is to let them take the brunt of winter and keep your nice wheels nice!  I do seasonal swaps on two of my vehicles and rarely give them a thorough cleaning.....I just hit them with APC and Wheel Cleaner a couple of times per season and then when they're off the car, I hit the barrels to get them ready for next year.  

There was just a thread on this exact topic.....
 
Most polishes, including Revive, should work fine.  Avoid razor blades and steel wool - those are fine for glass but are not safe for the coating on the mirror(s).  
 
A true "scratch" may be tough to remove, especially if it's into the aforementioned reflective coating.  You could very well be looking at a new mirror if it's too bad to live with.

I don't recommend using "conditioners" on non-porous surfaces, ie, Leather Condition is made to soak into the leather.  If you put it on plastic, it's not going to soak in - it's just going to "sit" there.  If that's OK with you, then so be it......it's not necessarily wrong to use it.....it just performs differently on different surfaces.
 
To the OP, VRT on dashes and door panels works fine but tends to have a little more gloss, so I will "knock it down" with a dry towel most times.  Again, this is personal preference.  Remember, the "V" in VRT stands for vinyl so it always makes me wonder why so many users second guess themselves about using it on their interiors. 

^ this.....
 
Which is exactly why I setup my business model like I did.  I use what I sell and sell what I use.  While my shop is not 100% exclusively Adam's, the other products on my retail shelves are chemicals like RaggTopp and Xenit which Adam's does not offer.  I also have some brushes and towels that Adam's used to sell but stopped carrying for whatever reason.  I still like (and use) such products and believe in them so I continue to stock them for my retail customers.

^ this.....
 
Which is exactly why I setup my business model like I did.  I use what I sell and sell what I use.  While my shop is not 100% exclusively Adam's, the other products on my retail shelves are chemicals like RaggTopp and Xenit which Adam's does not offer.  I also have some brushes and towels that Adam's used to sell but stopped carrying for whatever reason.  I still like (and use) such products and believe in them so I continue to stock them for my retail customers.

Dirt doesn't scratch....rubbing it does. I don't wash my black car as often as I wash my others. Get bird poop and other crud off as soon as you can but you will go insane trying to keep a black daily driver in "just detailed" condition.
 
Multiple layers of protection will help in the maintenance and allow your wash pad and towels slide over the surface easier but as others have already stated, less touching is best.

^ this.....
 
Which is exactly why I setup my business model like I did.  I use what I sell and sell what I use.  While my shop is not 100% exclusively Adam's, the other products on my retail shelves are chemicals like RaggTopp and Xenit which Adam's does not offer.  I also have some brushes and towels that Adam's used to sell but stopped carrying for whatever reason.  I still like (and use) such products and believe in them so I continue to stock them for my retail customers.

^ this.....
 
Which is exactly why I setup my business model like I did.  I use what I sell and sell what I use.  While my shop is not 100% exclusively Adam's, the other products on my retail shelves are chemicals like RaggTopp and Xenit which Adam's does not offer.  I also have some brushes and towels that Adam's used to sell but stopped carrying for whatever reason.  I still like (and use) such products and believe in them so I continue to stock them for my retail customers.

Dirt doesn't scratch....rubbing it does. I don't wash my black car as often as I wash my others. Get bird poop and other crud off as soon as you can but you will go insane trying to keep a black daily driver in "just detailed" condition.
 
Multiple layers of protection will help in the maintenance and allow your wash pad and towels slide over the surface easier but as others have already stated, less touching is best.