As soon as you purchase your new vehicle, your paintwork will be prone
to damage from the environment, grime, or any scratches and daily wear.
Protecting your vehicle’s paintwork from the everyday elements is best started
from day one, as leaving this till it’s worn and faded can make it more
difficult and costly to restore. Getting the right protection and properly
maintaining your vehicle’s paintwork will keep it in the best condition, and
provide a more valuable return if you decide to sell it.
Washing
Washing away any dirt or grime that could tarnish paintwork is the
first step when maintaining your vehicle. However there are many mistakes to be
made which could further damage paintwork: washing the car in direct sunlight
can burn spots in the paint, the wrong type of cleaning soap such as dishwasher
detergent, can remove the protective layer and leave a chalky finish. There is
also some debate about automatic car washes, as older car washes using abrasive
brushes can wear down the paintwork. Using the right cleaning equipment, and
using soft cloth towels to wipe down your vehicle will ensure you maintain the
paintwork whilst keeping your vehicle clean.
Polishing
The painted surface of a vehicle isn’t fully smooth and has some
texture to it. Following up washing with a polish is one option to remove
oxidised paint worn by UV rays, and weathering. Polishes can be slightly
abrasive and can help to remove minor scratches, produce a shinier and smooth any
imperfections. Polishing on its own will gradually remove the surface paintwork
of your vehicle and strip away the protective layer and solvents in the paint.
The newly exposed paintwork will oxidise more quickly, and be more likely to
incur wear. It is recommended that polishing is combined with waxing, which
will build up layers over the paintwork to be polished and smoothed.
Waxing
Like polishing, car wax fills in minor scratches and provides a
smooth, shiny finish. Waxing is better at maintaining the paintwork of a
vehicle than polishing alone, and is a well-established way to coat a vehicle
in a durable protective layer. The hardened layer over the paintwork formed
through waxing is built up over time, though because of this, minor defects can
build up in the individual layers or dirt can be trapped, causing a dulling of
the finish. Waxing and polishing may have to be carried out regularly to keep a
vehicle’s paint job in top condition, and there are newer technologies
available to protect paintwork, which may be more suitable.
Vehicle
Wrapping
Not only
can wraps offer a perfect solution to personalising your vehicle and adding
a great shine, a wrap will also protect your paintwork from wear and light
scratches, tarmac and environmental conditions. There are varying grades of
paint protection available in vehicle wrapping films to protect areas susceptible
to chips, scuffs or minor abrasions.
Vehicle wrapping is applied in a clear or coloured, durable vinyl
layer, and can provide cover for specific vehicle parts or the full body. A
wrap offers a highly attractive and aesthetic protective barrier to general
wear, without hindering a vehicle’s performance. Investing in a wrap to protect
your vehicle straight away, or rejuvenating your existing paintwork with a new
protective wrapping, will make maintenance easier, and help prolong its
condition and value.
For further advice on protecting and maintaining your
paintwork, or if you’d like a quote for vehicle wrapping, then please give us a
call on 01794 367088 or 07986 716786 (out of hours), or email
the Pro-Tints & Graphics team at sales@pro-tints.co.uk.
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