Body — maintenance

1. The general condition of the vehicle body is one of the main indicators that determine its value. Servicing the body is relatively simple. In this case, the frequency of maintenance is extremely important. Neglecting this rule, especially after minor damage, can quickly lead to further deterioration of the body and the need for expensive repairs. You should periodically inspect those parts of the car that are difficult to access, such as the underbody, wheel arches, frame and lower part of the engine compartment.

2. Once a year or every 20,000 km, the underbody should be cleaned using steam. Steam cleaning removes all oil and dirt deposits and allows a thorough inspection of the vehicle's underbody for areas of excessive corrosion, damage to brake lines, hoses, wiring and cables, and other defects.

3. At the same time, the engine and engine compartment should be steam cleaned or washed using degreasing solvents.

4. Due attention should be paid to cleaning the wheel arches, since their protective coating may be damaged, which, in turn, leads to the chipping of the protective coating by small stones and road dust from under the wheels, as a result of which the body parts are subjected to intense corrosion. If corrosion is detected, clean the affected area until the metal is exposed and apply anti-corrosion paint to it.

5. The car body should be washed once a week. Pre-wet the surface of the body to soften the dirt, then wash the car with soapy water and a soft sponge. If you start washing your car without first softening the dirt accumulated on the surface of the body, you can damage the paintwork.

6. Tar or resin stains can be removed by wiping with a cloth soaked in solvent.

7. Once every six months, a wax coating should be applied to the paint surface of the body and chrome parts. When using a polishing agent for chrome surfaces, do not forget that the galvanic coating is removed from the surface of the part along with the rust, so carry out the treatment using the polishing material sparingly.