Know your Porsche and the Exact Care it Requires

This guide covers essential facts and maintenance tips on your Porsche's materials and maintenance needs, helping you preserve its luxury finish and performance-driven aesthetics for years to come.

Porsche Exterior

Porsche Paint Type

All car paints fall into one of three categories: soft, medium, or hard. Each has unique characteristics that affect appearance, maintenance, and durability.

Porsche vehicles typically feature medium to soft paint for models low 2000s onwards, and soft paint for models before then. Here's what that means for your Porsche:

High Gloss Finish with Less Effort

Medium to soft paints come up full of colour, gloss, and look incredibly well with less work required when compared to hard paint type cars.

Whether you're just washing and waxing, or you're fine polishing for a showroom finish, the result on your Porsche, thanks to its medium-soft paint, will be exceptional.

Ceramic Coating Compatibility
Porsche paint benefits massively from ceramic coatings.

The softer your paint, the easier it is to leave swirling and micro scratching, even from light contact just from washing.

Due to your Porsche having medium-soft paint, it's highly recommended to Ceramic Coat your Porsche, adding light abrasion resistance, making regular contact washing more safe with less paint damage.

Along with the added paint protection, the boosted colour and gloss with a ceramic coating will make your softer paint stand out even more, deepening your Porsche's colour and topping off the luxury look.

Regular Washing Tips

Driving your Porsche daily or regularly means it will require cleaning more regularly, and here's our recommendations for preserving your paint when washing;

Medium-soft paint types swirl and scratch easier than medium-hard paint types. To reduce the risk of natural swirling from regular washing, always use a pre-wash.

This is a washing solution that's applied after the first rinse, but does not include physically touching your Porsche.

After the pre-wash is rinsed off, if there is still dirt present, you can now go into your contact wash with a large amount of the dirt already gone - minimising the dirt and grime you would have been pulling and dragging across your easily marked paint.

On top of this extra step, we recommend the 2 bucket method, which includes 1 bucket for rinsing your dirty mitt in after you've cleaned a panel, and a clean water bucket for rinsing your mitt in after the dirty water bucket.

Another major recommendation is applying a ceramic coating with a proven high hardness rating. This means along with the general ceramic coating benefits, it also provides your car with light abrasion resistance, taking some of the natural swirling damage away from your paint.

This abrasion resistance also helps with the likes of bushes and overgrown branches on roads.

It's for this reason we include a Guaranteed 10H Hardness Rating, 7 Year Ceramic Coating in our Tailored Porsche Detail.

Polishing Considerations

Polishing is a strong appearance booster on Porsche paint, and could be called "easier" compared to hard paint users, when aiming for the same defect-free finish.

Less aggressive compounds and polishing pads remove swirls and scratches on your softer paint quicker than those on hard paint.

Fine Finish and High Gloss polishes not only remove slightly deeper marks on your Porsche compared to the likes of an Audi, but they also work incredibly well together, bringing your Porsche to a super glossy, full of colour finish, relatively easily.

However, with easier high results also come more dangers.

Machine polishing softer paint brings more risks than harder paint.

With your paint being softer, your polisher will cut through it quicker, meaning you can burn through soft paint a lot easier and quicker than harder paints.

Water Spots

Water spots are an annoying side effect of our countries water supply. They're caused by the water drying up faster than the minerals within it, leaving only the minerals on your paint, causing "water spots", or mineral deposits.

Unfortunately, on softer paints, water spots can etch into the paint if left for too long, requiring a polish to remove.

Either use filtered water to remove water spots completely, a Quick Detailer that's designed to also remove water spots, or make sure to clean your Porsche regularly if you're not removing the spots at the end of each wash.

Summary
Porsche paint delivers unmatched clarity and gloss, but it's relatively sensitive. Gentle techniques, regular decontamination, and good ceramic protection will keep it looking showroom-ready. Just the way a Porsche should be.

Porsche Brake Dust Output

Porsche Brake Dust Output

Porsche braking systems use large steel rotors as the standard braking system on their cars. Unless you have bought a higher end Porsche or have upgraded to the Ceramic Composite brakes, your Porsche braking system produces a heavy amount of brake dust.

What This Means for You:
This dust isn't just messy, it’s corrosive due to its hot and sharp nature, and can embed itself into your wheels and body paint if not cleaned promptly and regularly.

It becomes extremely difficult to remove if not cleaned often, almost staining your wheels unless a more aggressive cleaning action can be taken, typically an acidic wheel cleaner, which aren't always safe for wheel types.

It also means that your Porsche body is at higher risk of micro-damages due to the hot and sharp particles penetrating into your clear coat, creating space for water to ingress, potentially causing rust specks.

Frequent Cleaning Required
We recommend weekly wheel cleaning for daily Porsche drivers.

Use a pH-balanced or reactive wheel cleaner for safe but effective results when cleaning this frequently. Alternatively, a natural acidic wheel cleaner will provide better cleaning results when used on embedded dust, but please follow all health and safety precautions if using them yourself, including the safety clothing.

Body Iron Removal Is Essential
Brake dust embeds into the paint and requires iron fallout removers every 2–4 months on your Porsche. More frequently if your Porsche is driven hard or used regularly. Otherwise, you run the risk of rust specks, which drop your Porsche's appearance and value significantly.

Ceramic Coating Your Wheels, Callipers and Body
Using a Ceramic Coating on a Porsche is highly recommended. Not only should you want to add a layer of protection to your Porsche since you spent quite a lot of money on it, but their delicate paint and high brake dust output is a mix that shouldn't be tested.

We highly advise you protect at least your Porsche's body, and consider a coating for your wheels and callipers if your budget allows.

Summary
Porsche braking systems demand dedicated maintenance. Failing to clean regularly leads to permanent staining and faster deterioration of both wheels and surrounding bodywork.

Exterior Gloss Plastic Care

Exterior Gloss Plastic Care

Porsches, especially models like the Taycan, Panamera, and Cayenne, often include gloss black trim on their bumpers, pillars, and around intakes or spoilers. These glossy plastics add a unique look to your unique vehicle, but they're prone to scratches with their delicacy, even during a normal wash.

Pre-Wash Is Crucial
Always use a strong pre-wash to lift dirt before any contact is made. Even small dirt particles caught in your mitt will scratch this delicate material on your expensive car.

Refinement
Gloss plastics can be machine-polished if there are some light scratches present, but gently.

Use low-speed settings, finishing pads, and light polishes only. Avoid generating heat, which can warp or burn the material. Gloss plastics can't withstand the same amount of heat as a normal body panel can.

Summary
Gloss black trim offers contrast and luxury but requires soft hands and precise technique to stay looking its best. Rinse your wash mitt often when cleaning these areas.

Luxury Interior Materials

Luxury Interior Materials

Leather

Porsche interiors feature high-end leather. Natural grain and semi-aniline leathers are common, offering superior texture and breathability, but they are also more delicate and require proper leather care.

Do Not Use APCs
All Purpose Cleaners are too harsh for Porsche leather. Use a pH-balanced, leather specific cleaner that gently lifts dirt and cleanses its pores without drying out the material. All Purpose Cleaners cause more harm than good for cleaning leather interiors.

Leather Conditioning
Porsche leather should be conditioned 1–2 times per year. This replenishes natural oils and prevents drying and cracking, maintaining their matt, crease free appearance and that signature, luxury Porsche leather scent.

Extra Protection
When you've spent a large amount on something, it's ideal to protect it as much as you can, within reason.

Leather ceramic coatings are used globally and highly recommended to preserve your leather by preventing food and drink stains along with dye transfer staining, and also blocks UV damage from discolouring your leather.

Very minimally, they can provide some abrasion protection also, but this does not mean your leather can withstand sharp objects.

We recommend a leather ceramic coating for your Porsche, no matter the model.

Summary
Your Porsche’s leather is part of what makes it feel special. Clean it and care for it with dedicated products, conditioned periodically, and ceramic coat it for ultimate, Porsche experience.

Fabric and Alcantara Care

Some Porsches (especially GTS or GT models) feature Alcantara and Suede interiors.

Cleaning Alcantara
Avoid excessive moisture, only using a dedicated suede or Alcantara cleaner and a soft brush. Gently agitate it, then dab with a clean microfiber to help dry.

We recommend applying a fabric waterproofing course or ceramic course to prevent dirt and spills from getting into your Alcantara.

It's a luxurious material that's extremely delicate. Too much cleaning power or pressure can ruin it, so preventing the need to do those in the first place is priority when talking about maintaining your Porsche's interior.

Fabric Areas
Use enzyme cleaners for everyday spills. Wet extraction or steam cleaning is ideal every 6–12 months depending on use.

We recommend applying a fabric waterproofing course or ceramic course to prevent carpet staining and make cleaning easier for you. 

Interior Gloss Plastics

Porsche centre consoles, screens, and dash trims often use high-gloss piano black plastic. These areas scratch very easily with the lightest of pressure.

Clean Gently
Use a clean, plush, edge-less microfiber and diluted APC or screen-safe cleaner. Never apply pressure, just wipe. 

Polish if Needed
If swirled, a jewelling polish and soft pad can restore gloss. Use low machine speed and avoid edge pressure. Only do this if you're experienced, as it's easy to make things worse instead of fixing.

Tailored Porsche Detailing Package

Tap onto the Tailored Porsche Detailing Package for the only Porsche exclusive detailing service outside of Porsche themselves, designed for your cars materials and surfaces - Exclusive to Carrickfergus Car Care

Tailored Porsche Detailing Package

Tailored Porsche Detailing Package

Inside this package are tailored procedures to provide your Porsche with the best Detailing package available to you within Northern Ireland.

Designed around all of Porsche's materials, this hand picked selection of detailing procedures are guaranteed to bring both your Porsche interior and exterior up to an incredible condition.

Packed with specific value to ensure your package suits you and your car perfectly - Nothing generic, every action is Porsche specific.

This detailing package requires a minimum stay of 2 nights, depending on your Porsche's condition - A replacement vehicle can be arranged for your packages duration if required.

Porsche Gloss Enhancement | Machine Polish

Superior Porsche results, bringing out your cars colour and gloss tremendously, minimising light defects in your paint, and saving time with 1 polish / pad combination that works smoothly with your medium-soft paint.

Gloss Plastics Machine Polish

Porsche use this delicate, glossy finish on a lot of their models. No matter where your gloss plastics are, we polish them to a jewel like finish, minimising any marks that are currently there.

Polishing Preparation

Before polishing your Porsche, a thorough deep exterior clean, including heavy iron decontamination, is carried out. 

This step removes anything on your paint that shouldn't be there, like your Porsche's high  brake dust output.

This step is highly important for Porsche's, especially if yours has never been decontaminated, and it's not something you should risk if you're not 100% sure it's been done within the past 3 years maximum.

7 Year, 10H Hardness Rated Ceramic Coating

This Guaranteed Ceramic Coating is the perfect choice for your Porsche.

After your Porsche's exterior is cleaned, decontaminated, and polished, we seal this new, revived look in for the years to come with an extremely durable, 7 year ceramic coating with a 10H Hardness Rating for protection against light abrasions. 

The 10H Abrasion Resistance will prolong your Porsche's swirl free look for much longer, even with regular contact washing.

However, now that your Porsche is coated, more chemical only washes can provide you the same clean, high gloss finish as a contact wash could, which will further prolong your swirl free paintwork. It's the perfect team.

Super quick and easy washing with your 7 year, manufacturer guaranteed ceramic coating, that also boosts your premium cars glossy look far past the average coated Porsche, never mind the average non-coated Porsche.

Now that your medium-soft paint work is ceramically protected, iron decontamination should only be carried out twice a year, down from the 4-5 services. This is to protect your ceramic coating along with your paint. 

The 7 year coating also protects your Porsche's paint from our country's Winter's salt and bad road conditions, prolonging your paintworks look and health for much longer once again.

This 7 Year Coating is an option we keep very limited, for the likes of our highest Ceramic Protection Solution choice, so you will not find this exclusive, guaranteed, perfect-for-Porsche 7 Year Ceramic Coating available in many other packages outside of this one.

Interior Detailing | Porsche

Seating

Depending on your Porsche's seating material, will depend on which of the below procedures you get within your package:

Leather: Leather Clean and Condition, including leather specific cleaning and conditioning to replenish lost oils and help prevent your leather from drying out, creasing and cracking.

Fabric: Shampooed, steam cleaned and wet extracted, removing much deeper dirt from within your fabric seats compared to standard valets. 

50/50: If your Porsche seating is half fabric, half leather, then both the fabric and leather procedures are carried out.

Alcantara: Using dedicated Alcantara cleaner and a soft bristle brush, your Alcantara is gently cleaned with the correct procedure, removing any risk of damage.

Deep Carpet Clean: Steam cleaned, shampooed and wet extracted to remove even the deepest of engrained dirt and stains.

Interior Gloss Plastics: Your piano black, gloss plastics, typically around your audio system and infotainment system, and your centre console on some models, are gently cleaned, removing oils that easily sit on the material, creating smudging and reflections that spoil the materials polished look.

To enhance your Range Rover's interior further than other detailing options within Northern Ireland, these sections are lightly polished, boosting their black gloss, and reducing minor scratches that are taking away from your solid black trim.

Interior Glass: All smudges, finger prints, and any other marks on your glass are removed for a streak-free vision and thoroughly detailed look.

Foot Mats: If your mats are carpets, they're steam cleaned, shampooed and wet extracted, just like your flooring carpets, to return their new, unused look.

When they're used often without deep carpet cleaning for months on end, this procedure makes a huge difference in your interior's appearance.

If you have all weather mats - the rubber style, they're power washed and shampooed, followed by a protective layer that returns their unfaded, unused, grey/ black colour, and keeps them looking brand new for longer.

To Discuss or Book Your Porsche for NI's Only Dedicated Porsche Detailing Service, Designed Around Your Cars Exact Materials for Maximum Value and a 5-Star Finish, Tap Book Now, or Contact us on Social Media for more info.