Body and bottom maintenance

The general condition of the vehicle body is one of the parameters that determine its value. Body maintenance is not difficult, but it should be regular. Neglect of this rule, especially after minor damage, can quickly lead to further deterioration of the bodywork and costly repairs. It is important to remember this and pay attention to those parts of the car that are difficult to see, for example, below, inside the wheel arches and in the lower part of the engine compartment.

The main type of body maintenance is its regular washing with plenty of water (from a hose). This helps remove any solids that may have stuck to the vehicle. During the washing process, it is important to remove all these particles in order to prevent future scratches. Be sure to flush the wheel arches and subframe to remove any dirt that traps moisture and speeds up the rusting process. It may seem strange, but the best time to clean the subframe and wheel arches is in wet weather when the dirt is still damp and soft. In very wet weather, the subframe is usually automatically cleared of large build-ups of dirt and this is the best time to inspect.

With the exception of vehicles with a waxed underbody finish, it is recommended that the subframe and engine compartment be periodically steam cleaned to allow for a thorough inspection to determine if minor repairs or replacements are necessary. Steam cleaning is available at many workshops and is essential to remove oily dirt. If steam cleaning is not available, it is possible to clean with oil solvents applied with a brush. In this case, the dirt can simply be dissolved. Please note that these methods should not be used on vehicles with body wax protective coating or the coating will be removed. Such vehicles should be inspected annually, preferably before winter, to wash the bottom of the body and restore damaged areas of the protective coating. It is best to completely replace the coating. It is also advisable to use wax protection for injection into door panels, window sills, etc., as this provides an additional guarantee against rusting in places where such protection is not provided by the manufacturer.

After washing the paintwork, wipe it dry with chamois leather so that the finish does not have gaps. Applying a layer of polishing composition will provide additional protection to the paint from the harmful effects of the atmosphere. If the paint has lost its luster, use a mixture of cleaner and polish. Its application requires some effort, but the loss of gloss is usually the result of irregular washing. Particular care must be taken when caring for metallic paintwork: a non-abrasive cleaning and polishing compound should be used to finish such a coating. Always make sure that the holes and pipes provided for drainage and ventilation are completely open and that water can drink freely through them. A dirty film may occasionally appear on the windshield and windows, which should be washed off with a suitable glass cleaner. Never use glass wax or polishing pastes for bodywork or chrome parts.