The title says it all. Please excuse my ignorance on the topic but I've never personally showed a car before even though I used to help my ex clean up her eclipse all the time for shows.

My buddy just called me and said his church is planning a show this spring to raise money for their sunday school and he wanted to let me know I should get in on that. They aren't sure how they are going to classify everything yet so I don't have many specifics. My question is what are the judges looking for at these things? Other then making my car spotless what should I do? I'm near stock so I really don't have anything special done to my car but it is something of a celebrity in my small town because of the orange color, ridiculous wing, and supercharger. I get comments all the time on it so what the heck I might as well show it.

The only clear flaws in the car are some curb rash on the back wheel and a dime sized dent on the driver door.

Thanks in advance for info and tips!

The title says it all. Please excuse my ignorance on the topic but I've never personally showed a car before even though I used to help my ex clean up her eclipse all the time for shows.

My buddy just called me and said his church is planning a show this spring to raise money for their sunday school and he wanted to let me know I should get in on that. They aren't sure how they are going to classify everything yet so I don't have many specifics. My question is what are the judges looking for at these things? Other then making my car spotless what should I do? I'm near stock so I really don't have anything special done to my car but it is something of a celebrity in my small town because of the orange color, ridiculous wing, and supercharger. I get comments all the time on it so what the heck I might as well show it.

The only clear flaws in the car are some curb rash on the back wheel and a dime sized dent on the driver door.

Thanks in advance for info and tips!



well first things first, get the dent fixed and try to clear up the curb rash!
other then that its hard to say. ive personally never beem entered in one but im assuming there will be something about appearance, maybe best of imports/ domestic, something for audio, maybe engine? IMO..

Nice ride, I have the 2.4L SS same color. I get alot of comments on the color. But to answer your question, they look for how clean it is, engine bay,door jams, seals,ect. And most of all, your over all display. How you display your ride. I have won 3 1st place trophys due to how clean it is, and my display.
Second, if you would like to do a wing swap, I will be gladly to swap with you. I have the low profile wing, same color as yours, so you will not need to have it painted. Let me know if you would like to swap

well first things first, get the dent fixed and try to clear up the curb rash!
other then that its hard to say. ive personally never beem entered in one but im assuming there will be something about appearance, maybe best of imports/ domestic, something for audio, maybe engine? IMO..



The dent should be no problem but the curb rash I don't know. I'm not sure how to fix that really. I may get a set of rims for show only and if I do that won't be a problem.

Clint, sorry but I'm keeping my stock wing. It's annoying but it really sets the car off.

Well based on my previous experience w/ my shitbox civic lol. Judges will look for QUALITY not QUANTITY. It's not about how many subs you got, or how many parts you got in the car. It's about the quality (or brand name) of them.

polish any metals in the engine bay along with your rims :)

No Wax overruns on Plastic's ,,, Details, Details & More Detail! :)

all true so far. but i know ppl that have juged car shows too. they want originallity, also things that would be of some difficullty to do. but cleanliness if def. a big thing, i had a buddy goin up against a car he hands down should have beat, but when the bodyshop did his bumper they left a gap under the headlights, not much but enough for him to get second not first. but ive also had a friend go up against a car that nothing matched, looked hidious and her car got 2nd cuz they had a smoke machine and she didnt.

believe it or not though alot of it also depends on the judges. i got 3rd instead of second in one because the cavalier made him laugh because nothing fit right and he had flip flop trunk hindges. so i went and got some of those too lol. but yeah scratches and dings will kill ya too.

hope that helps, good luck at ur shows.

Thanks for all the info so far guys and keep it coming if you have more. I had no plans to show the car until this upcoming fall when I knew I would have everything finished I wanted to do as far as showy things but I'm under a lot of pressure from friends to show it at this show because the sport compact scene here is weak and the other "show cars" are all horribly thrown together and gawdy.

I'm a perfectionist with my car. Everything I have done so far I have done until it's right. I've painted my coil covers 4 times already and I'm still not 100% satisfied because I can't get a perfect line where the ridges are. I'll do that again soon and hopefully get it right this time. I plan to polish my cam covers ala BlilBT style the next time we get some snow and the car has to sit for few days. I also have a few other little goodies in store.

I actually don't know if I will have my system done by then. I plan on fiberglassing my own box and it's going to take a while. Plus I want to put my amp rack in motion so that I can still access the spare with the push of a button. So that probably won't be done by the time this show rolls around. Will it hurt not having a system? Will they even look in my trunk if I don't have it open? Also do they get in your car and snoop around or do they just look through the windows? I have a small nick on my trim if they look in the car. They would have to be sitting in the driver seat and then looking really hard for it but it can be seen.

Thanks again guys. I need all the advice I can get.

nice cars!!!

yeah i need to basically finish all the looks on my car by april 28th for hot import nights in boston that im gonna be in with my car club.

ask donna aka badgirl she will kno she has been in some of them!!!

ok well heres my advice...make sure...your wheel well area is clean and under the side skirts. when i was judged at FMF, the guy came to my car with a white glove...ran his hand under the fender, in between the rim spokes, even checked the sun roof jams for dirt.

also when you go to a show bring the following and always carry these:

meguiars quick detailer
tire shine
chrome cleaner/ shiner (mothers makes a good one)
a california duster
paper towels
cloth towels
armoral (sp?)
and if you have a hand vac it helps because sometimes people sit in the car, or youll be at an outdoor show and have you move your car

when i go to a show, ill detail the car the day before, load it up ready to go, make sure i have a jump pack, bucket of cleaning supplies, and anything i might need in case of emergency (extra bulbs is a big one to carry in your glove box)

at the show ill take it in, set up whatever display i have, quick detail teh car and really clean the entire outter edges under the car and inside the wheel wells...it takes about an hour to get it really clean... (the body kit lip, inner fenders, etc) basically anything painted better be clean.

talk to the judges is a big one too...

good tips donna thanks, u doin hin april 28th this year?

yes if the truck can get the trailer there. i cant ferry my car as they try and stick me up top and i wont make it down the ramp without ripping off the front bumper.
thats the boston HIN right.

yup thats it. lucky me mines getting driven up there lol, prolly with a paint job thats gonna be a week old the way things look right now.

cool, thanks for the tips!

i was looking on the NCCA website to see if they had something but i did find this.

http://www.hincity.com/article.asp?id=384L30310568NCTZ18K5F9R

i was looking on the NCCA website to see if they had something but i did find this.

http://www.hincity.com/article.asp?id=384L30310568NCTZ18K5F9R

nice read, thanks!

i also found this very helpful:

Detailing, Cleanliness is approx 40% of points- to improve your judging score, do what lazy won’t do. Clean between door jams, windshield wiper covers, clean every body line from wax or dirt, such as door, trunk edges & under hood, under front rear side spoilers, front grille. Wash under wheel wheels, clean behind, on, inside wheels, armor all full tires, if you can fit under car clean sway bars, shocks/springs, muffler tubing, even axles, gas tank even if it is stock. Open gas tank cover & clean in there. Windows clean inside out, most people don’t do this. I use duster every 30minutes. You never know when judge will come. Most Judges will do the finger test!!!

#2 Engine

Detail engine & bay the day before. Clean under hood, edges, around bay, no oil or grease should be seen. Clean battery terminals, hoses, wires, connectors, bolts, clean sides top of engine
#3 Interior

Clean between air vents, everything inside should be really clean, even trunk, throw out trash, clothes, food etc… to trash can. Vacuum before show & if you have a mini car vacuum or cleaning brush, lint brush for Suede, & conditioner for leather you can brush out carpet, seats, under seats, between front & back seats. Or shake out mats You also want clean out ash tray, clean tachometer, speedometer housings, pedals, steering wheel & don’t forget your Headliner

#4 Trunk

Keep clean, vacuum even stock. Remember you get points for everything open

#5 Car Audio & Security (Alarm)

Clean install, no wires showing, for points you should have at least a head unit, amp & 4 speakers. Got to have an alarm too, just make it a clean install

good call i gotta start cleaning like now so im ready for april lol.

i also found this very helpful:

Detailing, Cleanliness is approx 40% of points- to improve your judging score, do what lazy won’t do. Clean between door jams, windshield wiper covers, clean every body line from wax or dirt, such as door, trunk edges & under hood, under front rear side spoilers, front grille. Wash under wheel wheels, clean behind, on, inside wheels, armor all full tires, if you can fit under car clean sway bars, shocks/springs, muffler tubing, even axles, gas tank even if it is stock. Open gas tank cover & clean in there. Windows clean inside out, most people don’t do this. I use duster every 30minutes. You never know when judge will come. Most Judges will do the finger test!!!

#2 Engine

Detail engine & bay the day before. Clean under hood, edges, around bay, no oil or grease should be seen. Clean battery terminals, hoses, wires, connectors, bolts, clean sides top of engine
#3 Interior

Clean between air vents, everything inside should be really clean, even trunk, throw out trash, clothes, food etc… to trash can. Vacuum before show & if you have a mini car vacuum or cleaning brush, lint brush for Suede, & conditioner for leather you can brush out carpet, seats, under seats, between front & back seats. Or shake out mats You also want clean out ash tray, clean tachometer, speedometer housings, pedals, steering wheel & don’t forget your Headliner

#4 Trunk

Keep clean, vacuum even stock. Remember you get points for everything open

#5 Car Audio & Security (Alarm)

Clean install, no wires showing, for points you should have at least a head unit, amp & 4 speakers. Got to have an alarm too, just make it a clean install

I knew the car had to be spottless which is fine because I seriously do everything you listed once a month except for the axles and exhaust before the muffler. My gf always schedules something with her friends that weekend because she knows I'm going to be working on the car all weekend. lol I told her if she really loved me she would help. :twothumbs

I need to work on the car audio. I have no doubts I will have a good clean install I just haven't had time to start messing with that yet. 4 speakers? Do you mean subs or speakers overall? I was planning on running three subs. I actually wasn't terribly concerned about a head unit because I like the MP3 player and I have XM, plus the trim color matches everything else. If that's something that 100% needs changed though I could start looking into a new head unit and reorganize my modding budget to fit that.


thanks for the tips and feel free to add more at any time. I'll take all the advice I can get.

most people do 2 subs...4 is overkill in most circumstances. that was just a general info thing i found online...i didnt write it but it brings up a lot of good tips and pointers of things you may not think to clean.

ok well heres my advice...make sure...your wheel well area is clean and under the side skirts. when i was judged at FMF, the guy came to my car with a white glove...ran his hand under the fender, in between the rim spokes, even checked the sun roof jams for dirt.

also when you go to a show bring the following and always carry these:

meguiars quick detailer
tire shine
chrome cleaner/ shiner (mothers makes a good one)
a california duster
paper towels
cloth towels
armoral (sp?)
and if you have a hand vac it helps because sometimes people sit in the car, or youll be at an outdoor show and have you move your car

when i go to a show, ill detail the car the day before, load it up ready to go, make sure i have a jump pack, bucket of cleaning supplies, and anything i might need in case of emergency (extra bulbs is a big one to carry in your glove box)

at the show ill take it in, set up whatever display i have, quick detail teh car and really clean the entire outter edges under the car and inside the wheel wells...it takes about an hour to get it really clean... (the body kit lip, inner fenders, etc) basically anything painted better be clean.

talk to the judges is a big one too...

There are 2 areas that I am ANAL about, Engine Bay, and Interior. They should like they just rolled off the assembly line. Like badg1rl they will check also check the wheels and undercarriage of the car so have them clean.

Now with your dints and scrathes there is really nothing you can really do expect try to touch up the scrathes. Thats why when you clean the rest of the car you want the rest of it to be clean as can be, so you can get as many points as you can.

I would also agree with badg1rl on everything expect for the last part try not to talk to the judges. As someone who has been judging cars over the last 5 years there is nothing that pisses me off when people come up to me and start listing off things they did. When I judge a car I go by cleanliness, not how much you spent on your car. Now thats just me at the local car shows, other carshow LOVE to hear how much spend cause you'll get a NOPI xbox trophy.

At a show last year....I beat a fellow SS/SC his was red and was kinda dirty. He had a huge system in the trunk, But my car was spotless and had a info sheet in a 8 X 11 frame describing all about the SS/SC When my car was manufactured ,the options.....little details like that go a long way. BTW...have someone run your vin to get all of that info for you.

At a show last year....I beat a fellow SS/SC his was red and was kinda dirty. He had a huge system in the trunk, But my car was spotless and had a info sheet in a 8 X 11 frame describing all about the SS/SC When my car was manufactured ,the options.....little details like that go a long way. BTW...have someone run your vin to get all of that info for you.

who would do that like gm or is there website or something?

At a show last year....I beat a fellow SS/SC his was red and was kinda dirty. He had a huge system in the trunk, But my car was spotless and had a info sheet in a 8 X 11 frame describing all about the SS/SC When my car was manufactured ,the options.....little details like that go a long way. BTW...have someone run your vin to get all of that info for you.

I've done that already. A member on this site did it for me but for the life of me I can't remember who.

Sounds like we should have it clean, and sheet sorta like a resume, and wait to see if the judges invite or incite conversation.

Seriously. I got beat in a show by a stratus with a crappy body kit, bad paint and a cold air intake. Car shows judges hardly know what a good car is. It's pretty sad, Make your car a ricer and you will win.

As everyone else has said, it's about the details. The vast majority of cars at a show are basically clean and will be neatly tricked out. Judges have to use the really "insignificant" things to seperate between lots of very nice cars.