Body and Underbody Care

PROCEDURE

1. Remember that the condition of the body is the main factor determining the resale value of a used vehicle. Body panel care procedures are extremely simple but must be performed on a regular basis. Neglecting even minor mechanical damage and paint defects can lead to rapid corrosion and the need for costly body repair. It is also important to regularly inspect hidden surfaces and components, such as wheel arches, the lower part of the engine compartment bulkheads, etc.
2. The basic body care procedure is washing the vehicle, preferably with plenty of water supplied under pressure from a hose. A sufficiently powerful jet easily softens and removes dried dirt and, importantly, prevents damage to the paint caused by individual grains of sand and other abrasive particles rubbing against it. Do not forget to also wash the wheel arches and the load-bearing underbody elements of the vehicle. Strange as it may seem, the best time to wash the suspension components and underbody is in wet, rainy weather, when most of the accumulated dirt deposits are washed away automatically during driving. Do not miss the opportunity to perform a visual inspection of the components located under the vehicle.
3. Once a year, or every 20,000 km (12,000 miles) of mileage, check the condition of the underbody anti-corrosion coating. First, steam clean the underbody, including the engine compartment, which is particularly effective at removing multi-layer oil deposits, sticky sludge and dense dirt. If steam cleaning is not available, use a brush to apply one of the many solvents currently available to the surfaces of the components to be cleaned.

The latter method must not be used on vehicles whose underbody anti-corrosion coating has a wax base.
This annual inspection should be carried out before the start of the winter season, after thoroughly softening dirt and oil deposits in the increased humidity typical of autumn. Damaged anti-corrosion coating must be restored without delay. Ideally, once a year, a complete anti-corrosion treatment should be performed, in which protective compound is injected into the cavities of the door panels, sills, box sections of load-bearing body elements and other accessible cavities.

This does not apply to panels and sections that have undergone complete anti-corrosion treatment and sealed at the factory.
4. After thoroughly washing the dirt off the paint, wipe the body panel surfaces with a soft chamois to restore the original shine of the polish. Treating the surfaces with a wax-containing polish provides additional protection of the paint from atmospheric effects and allows restoring locally lost polish. Remember that dulling of the paint is most often associated with neglecting regular vehicle washing.
5. Wax-polish the body panels approximately every six months. Metallic paints require special care using specialized, non-abrasive polishes. Regularly check that the drain and ventilation openings of the body panels are clear. Do not forget to periodically clean the glass, using special cleaning agents to remove road film from its surface. Under no circumstances use wax-containing polishes or chrome trim care products for cleaning glass.