| David's top tips for new car care |
Last week one of our clients bought her brand new red Honda Civic in for its first 10,000km service. She had a few questions about caring for it. They were the kind of questions I get asked a lot so I thought I would share my answers with you:
CLIENT:
I've got a brand new Honda that I want to keep clean and shiny - will the car wash in town damage my paintwork?
DAVID:
Frequent washing will help preserve your car's beauty. A good old fashioned bucket and chamois is still the best way but if you can't spare the time, today's auto car washes are not a bad option either - as long as it's a newer one that uses high pressure water jets to clean your car rather than the old brush system which ruined your paintwork.
CLIENT:
But how do I retain that incredible "gleam" my car had on the day I picked it up. A friend said something about putting kero in the wash?
DAVID:
Only use the solvents and cleaners recommended in your Owner's Manual. A wax coats the finish and protects it from damage by exposure to sunlight, air pollution, etc. You should use a wax on your car when it is new and a polish if the finish does not have its original shine after the wax.
As you dry of off, look for chips and scratches that could allow corrosion to start. Repair them with touch-up paint.
CLIENT:
What's the best way of removing bugs from my front bumper?
DAVID:
There's a range of commercially available cleaners specifically designed for getting rid of things like bugs and tar. You might have to test a few to find one you like using but most I've come across are pretty effective.
You could use a bit of turpentine but be sure to wash it off straight away so it doesn't damage the paintwork.
CLIENT:
My daughter put a big scratch on my front driver-side door with her bike. Can I polish it out? What are my options?
DAVID:
Get rid of the bike? Okay, that's not an option. The best thing to do here is bring your car into Bunbury Honda so I can have a look at it for you. Then I can give you a much clearer idea on things you can do to fix it. |
