Repairing paintwork damage is very expensive, especially if the car is new. Regularly washing the car, removing dirt and dust from it will allow the body of your car to last longer.
Car paint coating products
What products your car needs depends on its paintwork. For a new car that has been maintained in good conditions, it is enough to use a "soft" polish. It removes small scratches, damage and wear. In addition, this softening polish preserves damaged areas from rust and combines well with old paintwork.
The more often the paintwork is serviced, the more reliable it is. All damage, defects and scratches must be treated in a timely manner.
Preservation of paintwork
It is generally recommended to renew the old coating and protect the new one by applying protective preparations two or three times a year. This will help the gloss last longer and improve the long-term protection of the coating. Most protective preparations and paint cleaners are quite aggressive. Therefore, never work in direct sunlight. Otherwise, the chemical compounds of the polish will "stick" to the paint.
Paint care and conservation
Polishing
1. Before polishing, be sure to wash and dry your car.
Fig. 3.19. Checking the quality of polishing
2. Test how the polishing agent lays on the surface. First polish a small area of the surface (Fig. 3.19). Be careful, since the agent can damage the surface if applied in a thick layer.
Fig. 3.20. Applying polishing agent and varnish cleaner to the body surface with a woolen or cotton cloth
3. If the product is applied well, you can begin polishing all surfaces of the car body. Apply the polishing product and varnish cleaner with a wool or cotton cloth (Fig. 3.20). Do not apply too much force, otherwise you may damage the surface. If you feel that the material you are polishing with does not glide smoothly over the surface, turn it over or replace it.
4. After a short treatment, a small white spot appears, which is then removed with a piece of cotton wool in a circular motion. Do not treat the openings that are subject to air pressure when the car is moving too much.
5. After some time, more effort will have to be applied to polish, as the preparation will penetrate into internal microcracks and scratches. Therefore, it is advisable to replace the material with a new one.
Fig. 3.21. Wiping the surface with a clean woolen cloth after polishing
6. After polishing, wipe the surface with a clean woolen cloth (Fig. 3.21) to remove any remaining lint and polishing agent.
Preservation of paintwork
Fig. 3.22. Applying preservative with a cotton swab
1. Apply a layer of preservative using a cotton swab (Fig. 3.22). The consumption of preservative depends on the size of the surfaces to be coated.
Caution: Since preservatives contain harmful gradients, ensure good ventilation where you are working.
2. Remove the wettest areas with a cotton swab using circular motions.
3. When applying the preservative, do not press the pad hard against the surface and turn it over or change it as often as possible. If you feel a "squeak" when applying the preservative, this means that the surface is not prepared enough, so try polishing it again.
4. If after applying the preservative the coating looks uneven (bumpy) in some areas, treat these areas again with polishing paste.