Attention! After washing the car, dampness reduces the effectiveness of the brakes. It is recommended to dry the brake discs by briefly pressing the brake pedal at the beginning of the movement.
Conservation
Cleanly washed and dried paintwork must be treated every 3 months with preservatives to protect the car's surface from atmospheric influences by creating a non-porous water-repellent wax layer.
Remove spilled fuel, oil, grease and brake fluid immediately, otherwise the color of the paintwork may change.
The surface treatment must be repeated if the water does not collect in drops, but spreads over the surface. Regular treatment with preservatives contributes to the long-term preservation of the gloss of the paintwork. There is another possibility of protecting the paintwork - with the help of detergent preservatives. However, detergent preservatives provide reliable paint protection only if they are used at every car wash and at least every 2-3 weeks.
After using detergents, additional surface treatment with preservatives is especially recommended.
Attention! Preservation should not be carried out in the open sun.
Polishing
Polishing of the paintwork is necessary only if it has faded due to insufficient care, exposure to dust, harmful gases, weather conditions, when preservatives cannot restore shine. Coarse polishing pastes and chemically active agents should not be used, despite preliminary good results. Before polishing, the car must be washed and thoroughly dried. In the future, follow the instructions for using polishing agents. Polish in small areas to avoid premature drying of the polish. After surface treatment with some means, additional preservation is necessary. Do not polish in the open sun. Matte lacquer surfaces must not be treated with preservatives and polishes.
Restoration of minor body damage
If only the paint layer is scratched and no metal is touched, lightly rub the scratched area with paint restorer or very fine sanding paste to remove the thin layer of paint and wax around the scratch. Then rinse the area with clean water.
Apply a thin layer of liquid paint to the scratch with a soft brush, repeat this operation several times until the surface of the paint coating is leveled. Let the new paint dry for at least two weeks, then polish the area with a polishing paste, then apply a protective wax coat.
A scratch that has reached the metal of the body can cause corrosion of the metal. Remove rust from the metal with a penknife, then apply an anti-corrosion coating to prevent further corrosion. Using a rubber or nylon spatula, fill the scratch with putty paste. If necessary, the paste can be diluted with a solvent, which makes it possible to fill narrow scratches. Before the putty paste hardens, wrap your finger in a cotton cloth, dampen it with solvent, then quickly run it across the scratch. In this case, the surface of the putty paste will be slightly pressed through. Next, the scratch can be painted over.
Body repair with putty and painting
Today, there are many types of putty pastes. The best are polymerizing compounds, which are sold in a kit containing a jar of paste and a tube of hardener. You will also need a wide, flexible plastic or nylon trowel with smooth, well-finished edges to finish the putty surface.
Prepare a little putty on a clean piece of cardboard or plywood, carefully following the proportions of paste and hardener in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. Otherwise, the putty will harden too quickly or not harden at all. Using a spatula, apply putty to the area to be repaired and level it to obtain the desired surface. When the contour of the putty surface is close to the required one, take a break from work, otherwise the putty will start to stick to the spatula. Continue adding thin coats of putty every 20 minutes until the level of putty is level with the metal.
After the putty has hardened, its excess is removed with a file. Further processing is carried out using sandpaper with gradually decreasing grit. Always wrap sandpaper around flat rubber, cork, or wood. In the process of smoothing the putty, the sandpaper must be periodically moistened with water. The work must be completed; when a ring of pure metal is formed around the former dent, surrounded by a layer of paint. Rinse the treated area with clean water to remove grinding products.
Spray a thin layer of primer on the repaired area - it will show all the places where the putty surface has defects. Remove these defects with a freshly prepared putty and sand again with sandpaper.
After eliminating surface defects, you can proceed to the painting process. Spraying should be done in a warm, dry but ventilated area. When working indoors, dampen the floor with water to help the dust settle. When painting only one part, cover the rest of the parts. To do this, use adhesive tape, newspapers folded in several layers.
Shake the spray well before you start painting and try painting something away from the car to get the experience you need. Cover the repaired area with a thick layer of primer in several thin layers. Use 400 grade waterproof sandpaper to sand down any uneven areas. When performing this operation, moisten the work surface well with water and periodically rinse the sandpaper. Allow the primer to dry well before applying paint.
Apply a thin layer of paint with a spray gun, starting from the middle of the surface to be painted, then, moving the jet smoothly, from one edge to the other, capturing approximately 50 mm of the surface with old paint. After a while, apply the next coat of paint. Create the desired thickness of the paint layer by repeatedly applying thin layers. Let the fresh paint dry for at least two weeks, then smooth the painted area with sanding paste.
Care of parts made of artificial materials
Plastic parts, artificial leather seats, headlights and parts painted in matt black can be washed with water and special detergents. Wetting is not recommended. Plastic parts can be treated with special cleaners if necessary. Never use thinner or benzene.
Window cleaning
Wipe the glass with a clean soft cloth from the inside and outside. For heavy soiling, you can use alcohol or ammonia and warm water, as well as special glass cleaners. When washing the windshield, lift the wipers up.
Attention! When using silicone-containing lacquer coatings, do not wipe glass with them. When spraying silicone-containing aerosols, the glass must be covered with cardboard or other material. Periodically dust rubber seals or sliding surfaces with talcum powder or spray with silicone spray. This will keep them elastic and prevent squeaking. You can eliminate unpleasant sounds by wiping the contact surfaces with liquid soap.
Wheel rims made of light alloys require special care during the winter period of operation. To care for them, you can use a special tool for cleaning disks. Do not use strong acidic, strongly alkaline and coarse cleaning agents or water with temperatures above +60°C.
Caring for upholstery and rugs
Clean upholstered seats with a vacuum cleaner or soft brush. Clean heavily soiled surfaces with dry foam. Clean grease and oil stains with dry foam. Treat grease and oil stains with gasoline or stain remover. The cleaning agent must not be poured directly onto the fabric. The stain is removed by wiping it along the contour from the edge to the center. Other dirt can be removed using slightly warm soapy water.
When parking for a long time in the sun, the seats and head restraints must be covered from burnout. Lightly dampen a cloth made of knitwear and wool and wipe the leather surfaces so as not to wet the skin and seams. Then wipe the dried surface with a soft cloth. Strong pollution can be removed by means of special detergents. Grease and oil stains are removed with light strokes of clean gasoline. Washed leather seats must be treated with an antistatic agent. Shake before use and apply a thin layer with a soft cloth. After drying, wipe with a clean soft cloth. This treatment is recommended every 6 months.
Make sure the mats are completely dry before reinstalling the mats.
Attention! When using liquid detergents inside the car, try not to overwet the surface to be cleaned.