Car Care Tips

Caring For Your Vehicle's New Finish

If you've recently had your vehicle refinished by MAACO, congratulations! You've added luster, life and beauty to your automobile or truck. And with regular washing and waxing, your new high-gloss finish should last well beyond the National Gloss Warranty period. Your newly refinished vehicle needs some special attention, as the paint can take up to two months to cure. To care for the new finish, hand wash your vehicle at least twice a month using a soft sponge. Dry it with cotton towels only; do not use a chamois. Be sure to flush with water any gas, oil or fluid spills as soon as possible. Avoid commercial car washes for two months, and do not wax your vehicle during that time. In the winter months, also refrain from scraping ice and snow near newly refinished surfaces.

Repairing Acid Rain Damage

Acid rain damage may look like ordinary water spots, but it is much more damaging because it can actually etch the surface, creating craters with cracks and chips. Heat accelerates acid-rain damage. Try to wash your car after every rain, especially if the sun comes out right after it stops. To neutralize any acid rain residue, try adding a tablespoon of baking soda for every gallon of water in the wash bucket.
Acid rain can seriously damage a vehicle's paint. If you do suffer acid rain damage, repairing it is best left to the professionals at MAACO.

Hand Washing

· Wash your car when it is cool and out of direct sunlight.
· Clean the tires and wheels first so you won't splash water all over your newly cleaned vehicle.
· Begin by washing the dirt and soil off the surfaces so it won't be rubbed in and cause scratches.
· Use a 100% cotton wash mitt or a high quality sea sponge.
· Wash the car from the top down, in straight lines and using overlapping strokes.
· Never use household liquid soaps, which can strip the protective wax coat.
· Remember to clean inside the wheel wells.
· When drying your car, open up all doors and lids to enable semi-exposed areas to dry completely.

Hand Waxing

· Use real waxes, which can't harm the finish. Avoid products that promise to remove dirt, oxidized paint or scratches. Brazilian Carnauba wax is the wax of choice for automotive paints.
· Never wax in direct sunlight, since hot metal surfaces can cause the wax chemicals to damage the finish.
· If wax is applied in high humidity it may streak.
· Small areas should be waxed at one time. Constantly rotate the cleaning towel to apply a fresh area for proper wax removal.
· Use a foam applicator rather than a cloth.

Car Washes

· Avoid brush-style car washes, which can cause dirt to scratch the paint.
· Also try to avoid facilities that use odorless ammonia or phosphate based soaps with recycled wash water.
· At a "do it yourself" car wash, use the lowest possible setting in order to avoid blasting grit into the car's finish.

Protecting The Surface

· As much as possible, avoid long-term exposure to the sun. Ultraviolet light causes discoloration, cracking and a loss of gloss.

· Protect your vehicle's paint by avoiding gravel roads whenever possible.
· Regularly use commercially available bug removers. Bugs have very acidic bodies that will damage your vehicle's paint.
· Avoid parking under trees, which may drop sap.
· Remove bird droppings immediately, as they contain phosphates that will rapidly turn into phosphoric acid.

Auto Painting & Bodywork

· If all your washing, waxing and TLC can't bring back the shine--Uh, oh...better get MAACO! Selecting one of the quality MAACO Auto Painting and Bodyworks facilities near you will protect your investment in your vehicle.
· Paint oxidation and the sun's ultraviolet rays age the appearance of a vehicle. So, rather than just spot painting body repairs, you'll probably want to have your entire vehicle painted.
· Have your car repainted at the first sign of a permanent reduction in gloss. Over time, the microscopic cracking already present will become more obvious, and the affected surface may have to be stripped before repainting.
· Quick attention to nicks, dents and scratches protects sheet metal and inhibits the corrosion process.
· Have your car checked out after even a minor accident. The whole body can become distorted in a collision, and even minor body misalignment can affect performance and safety.

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