advice please as i'm a newbie here and wish to keep the car look perfect.
First of all, congratulations on the car
If you want to keep it looking good, there is a whole world of advice on the 'net about detailing, from how you should wash the car to what products to use. However, assuming that you want to keep the car looking good, but that you're not a fanatic, then...
I would advise that you bin the sponge, and get yourself a microfibre wash mitt for the sills, wheels and lower parts of the car that collect the most road dirt, and a lambswool wash mitt for the rest of the car. Never use either wash mitt for the "other" wash mitt's tasks. Use a garden hose with a trigger on the end that allows you to control the water flow, and if you have a dark colour car and live in a hard water area, consider getting yourself a DI Vessel to purify the water. Use a decent quality car shampoo and a big bucket.
Thoroughly wet the car, get plenty of suds on the wash mitt and wipe over the car applying as little pressure as possible. Wash small areas and rinse with the hose as you go. Rinse the wash mitt with water from the hose before plunging it in the suds bucket again and continuing. My preferred method is to do the lower (most dirty) part of the car first, and then refill the bucket with fresh suds, swap to the lambswool mitt and wash the rest.
Don't use a chamois leather to dry the car. Instead, invest in a detailing towel and just lay it, or dab it on the paintwork without dragging it across the panels. That way you won't risk scratching the paint.
