Preserve the car's exterior and your inner calm

Lead in: A dent or a scratch on your car's exterior can spoil the fun in a supposedly fun-filled weekend. Listed here are a few tips which can help avoiding blemishes on your precious vehicle.

Your automobile reflects your personal style. The pride you take in driving a blemish-free vehicle may take a serious hit if even a small scratch or dent mars its perfect exterior.

The process of taking care of the car's exteriors and paint is called auto detailing, which is not very time consuming. From quick-fix methods to routine car maintenance tips, we have elucidated different pointers below, which help keep your car's exterior scratch-free.

It is imperative to know the different factors which may damage your car's shape or paint. Harsh weather conditions like radiation from the sun or acid rain adversely affect car paint. Abrasive cleaners like detergents may also erode the paint coating. Rash driving habits or brushing against sharp objects causes minor scratches or dents. Bird droppings or grime, if left unattended for long, may stain and deface the car's exteriors.

Experts suggest a quick three-step process of inspect-wash-wax as a tip for maintaining a pristine vehicle. As a first step, inspect the car's exteriors for visible scratches or chips in a well-lit area. Make a note of the depth of the scratch, as superficial scratches can be fixed using a simple clear coat. Such an inspection is followed by washing. You can wash the vehicle yourself or take it to an expert car service centre or garage. Always use a soft cloth and specific car washes and shampoos cleaning your automobile. Avoid harsh detergents, as they corrode the exteriors. The final step is car polishing or waxing. Scratched surfaces need to be polished or waxed using a polishing compound or wax applicator. This coat of wax shields the car paint.

If your car paint has been damaged in an accident, a few simple scratch-removal steps can restore it to near-perfection.

• Follow the three-step process mentioned above to clean the car of external agents like dust, dirt and grime
• Assemble the required products like degreaser or cleanser, fine sandpaper, primer, alcohol, container, brush and touch-up paint of the requisite colour
• Clean the scratched surface with the cleaner or degreaser
• Smoothen the surface using the fine sandpaper
• Apply a layer of alcohol before applying two coats of primer. The primer should cover the metal surface exposed by the chipped paint
• Finally, touch up with coat of the car paint
• Finish this process with a final buffing of car wax or polish

These steps should help you take care of minor scratches on your car without going through the expensive process recommended by a car service centre or a garage.

There are also some precautionary measures you can follow to avoid scratches on your four wheeler. Some of them are listed below:

• Make your car's exterior scratch resistant by using one of the many products available in the automotive market
• Use self-adhering urethane films to protect your car from abrasions
• Drive carefully by keeping a safe distance from vehicles
• Leave ample driving space on either side while parking
• Avoid building up dirt as it is abrasive to the car's surface
• Park your car in the shade to avoid fading in the paint
• Remove minor scratches quickly as they tend to become rusted if left unattended for long
• Take your car to an expert at a car service centre or garage for professional care

These car maintenance tips will not only keep your car's surface smooth, but also maintain its sheen for years to come.