Car Detailing for Nissan Cube

Detailing your Nissan Cube

The Cube is the oddest Nissan in memory, with a wraparound rear window, a side-hinged back door and a headliner patterned like ripples in a pond that catches dust in every ring. Some even had a shag-carpet dash topper, which we shake out before touching the dash. The sliding rear bench leaves tracks full of crumbs. A Cube is small and quick to polish, and the flat panels take a sealant well, so it ends up looking as odd and as clean as the day it was bought.

What we watch for on a Cube

• The asymmetric wraparound rear window has a curved corner that needs careful glass cleaning inside and out
• The ripple-pattern headliner traps dust in its rings and is cleaned with a soft brush
• The optional shag dash topper collects dust and should be removed and shaken out before cleaning the dash
• The side-hinged rear door swings wide and its jamb collects dirt on the hinge side
• The sliding rear bench runs on tracks that hold crumbs and salt

Compact cars: small cabins, big wear

Small cabins mean every surface is within reach of a stray coffee or a boot print, and the carpets take it all. Outside, compact cars live a hard life in parking lots and on the 401, so the lower panels collect salt and stone chips.