After you've purchased a car, it's important to get acquainted with the car's instruction manual and maintenance guide. These tips will provide essential information for keeping your vehicle in top shape.
Car Paint Maintenance
Taking care of your car's paint is crucial. Even though the paint may appear smooth, it actually has small concave surfaces and holes. For new cars, it's recommended to apply a glaze or coating treatment. The coating typically lasts longer than glazing.
Glaze effects may last around 3 months to half a year, while coatings can endure for more than half a year. It's advisable to schedule a second glaze or coating application after a certain period.
Car wash stores commonly offer polishing and waxing services. However, these should be performed after applying a coating or glaze. Consistent waxing and polishing can gradually thin the paint surface, leading to a loss of luster and the appearance of small scratches.
Here are some important points to consider in your daily paint maintenance routine:
1. Avoid using a duster or dry cloth to wipe the paint directly. Instead, flush away dust and dirt with water and then wipe it clean with an absorbent cloth. Ensure it's completely dry after wiping.
2. When parking, try to avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight, especially if your car has white non-metallic paint.
3. Minimize the frequency of car washing and try to avoid excessive waxing and polishing.
4. Promptly attend to corrosive substances like bird droppings. Many people who park under trees often encounter this issue.
5. Be mindful of driving in corrosive environments such as beaches, snowy roads with salt, or newly paved asphalt roads.
Car Tire Maintenance
Car tires and rims are prone to accumulating dirt. Therefore, tire maintenance is vital. Before cleaning your tires, have a long-handled brush on hand. If the tires aren't excessively dirty, you can use regular detergent for cleaning. Only invest in a professional cleaner if there's significant dirt buildup.
Avoid using brushes on chrome rims with a mirror finish, as they may leave visible marks. For chrome wheels, opt for a sponge, and consider using a smaller brush for detailed areas. Cleaning the tires and the area below the knee can make your entire car look shiny.
Car Interior Maintenance
Maintaining the cleanliness of your car's interior is a must. Even if you regularly clean them. Here's a comprehensive approach to interior maintenance:
1. Interior Cleaning: Follow a three-part process involving dust removal, cleaning, and maintenance for instrument control panels, the roof, rear cylinder platform, seats, floor fleece, interior door panels, and other areas.
2. Leather Protection: Use a complete set of leather care tools, selecting the appropriate ones for different parts of the car.
3. Steam Sterilization: Employ professional steam sterilization to disinfect the interior, including air conditioning vents, seats, and floor lint, using high temperatures.
4. Instrumentation Control Panel: Regularly use a self-cleaning brush on the dashboard, air conditioning inlets, switches, buttons, etc., and consider applying a surface plate wax after cleaning.
5. Seats: Protect your seats by using cloth seat covers and avoiding spills or scratches on the leather surface. Regularly use leather cleaner and maintenance agents for cleaning.
6. Floor Fleece: Place foot mats on the floor fleece for easy daily cleaning.
