How to repair car scratches

Having scratches on your car can be frustrating, but it happens pretty often; tree branches, bushes, keys, shopping carts, other car's doors - all those things can leave scratches on your car's finish. Some scratches are very minor and some are deep; sometimes a residue from another object can look like a scratch and in each case the repair is different. It's best to repair scratches especially the deep ones where the bare metal is exposed, as soon as they appear, before the corrosion starts. Once the exposed in the scratch metal gets corroded, it's a whole different story and much more complicated repair. Let's see what can be done with the scratches. 

How to repair deep scratches

Deep scratches like this one, on the edge of the door, can be repaired with a touch-up paint. If you look closely, this scratch goes all the way through the clear coat, base paint and the primer (the grey stuff) and you can see the bare metal in the middle. This scratch will get corroded if not repaired in time, so I'm going to repair it. First thing I need is a matching touch up paint.

To get the matching touch-up paint I called my local dealer's parts department, they told me where the color code is located on this car - it was on the manufacturer's label on the driver's door jamb. I got the code from there and ordered the touch-up paint. The color code could be located in different places on different cars, but your dealer's part department should be able to tell you where is it.

The touch-up paint in this case comes as a two-tipped pen with base color paint on one end and the clear coat on the other. You can check if it has the same paint color code to make sure.

The car is clean and dry. Before using the touch-up pen, as it' said in the directions on the pen I have to shake it well.

As this pen's tip is too thick for this scratch, I'm going to use a sharp toothpick instead. So I squeeze a small amount of the base color paint from the touch-up pen into a bottle cap.

Now I dip the sharp toothpick into the paint. I need to pick-up a very small drop of paint on a toothpick.

Now very accurately I'm trying to barely fill up the scratch without letting the paint to come out of the scratch.

It's not perfect, but it looks much better now and it won't get corroded. Later, when the paint dries up I will add the layer of the clear coat from the other end of the touch-up pen (Instructions are on the pen).

How to remove minor scratches

These minor scratches were made by the bushes. This car has no clear coat as it's non-metallic color. The paint is scratched only slightly with no deep damage. To repair this scratch I'm just going to polish the paint.

I put small amount of the polishing compound onto the damp sponge applicator and gently polish the scratched area with it. After a little while I wash the are off to see if the scratch is still visible. I don't want to remove too much paint with the polishing compound. If the scratch is still there I polish it a bit more. Try in a small area first, it's important not to overdo it.

Once the scratch is barely noticeable, I wash and dry the area and use a regular car wax to make it shiny.

Here is the result, unless you look very closely, the scratches are not visible anymore

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How to use color wax

	A color wax has a dye in it and comes in different colors. This car on the photo has a lot of highway miles, so the whole front end of this car is covered with small stone chips. The car is dark and the stone chips appear as grey dots. This is when the color wax can be helpful, because it would take forever to repair all the stone chips with a touch up paint.
	Again, shake the bottle well and apply small amount of the color wax on the sponge.
	Spread the color wax evenly, making sure all the stone chips are filled up with wax.
	Allow the wax to haze, then buff it to a perfect shine with clean soft cloth.
	In the end, stone chips are still there, but they are a lot less visible, covered with the color wax.

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How to wax a car

A car wax forms thin transparent layer over the paint
and covers minor scratches

Waxing gives your car natural shine and helps to protect the paint. When applied, the car wax forms a thin transparent layer over the car paint surface. The car wax covers minor scratches, stone chips and other damages, making them less visible. The wax also "seals" the paint, preventing water from contacting the bare metal exposed in deep scuffs, chips and scratches, slowing down the corrosion process.

For best results, a car wax needs to be reapplied regularly. From my observations, a good-quality car wax stays on the car for about three-four months.

If your car hasn't been waxed in a very long time, first, it make sense to take it to a local detailing shop, or you can visit your dealer (e.g. for an oil change) and ask for one of those detailing packages they offer. What they do, they buff the car with an electrical buffer using a special polishing compound with mild abrasive to remove light scratches, hard stains and other impurities of the paint finish. Then they wax the whole car. After your car has been detailed, you can simply re-apply wax every three months or so to keep it shiny.

To wax your car you will need some good quality wax (e.g. Carnauba wax), a small soft sponge and a clean soft cotton towel. Your car must be very clean and dry. I usually wax my car right after washing it at a coin car wash; the whole process of washing, drying and waxing takes about an hour.
Make sure to choose the right product - you need the wax with no abrasives. Read the product label and test it on some small area first.
Park your car somewhere in a shadow - usually it works better when the car surface is cool to the touch. Work on one section at the time, for example, on one fender or door.

	If you use liquid wax, shake the bottle well before use. Apply small amount of wax to the sponge and spread it evenly on one section of the car. It's good idea to start from the top and do the bottom panels last because there is always some dirt left at the bottom.
	You want to make a thin, even layer of wax. Try not to touch unpainted plastic and rubber surfaces (e.g. weatherstrips) with wax - it will leave white stains on them.
	Allow the wax to haze (takes about a minute or two). Then buff it to a perfect shine with a clean soft towel, rotating it frequently - clean part of the towel works best.
	After the whole car is done, clean the wax from unpainted plastic and rubber surfaces. A window spray cleaner will work well for this purpose.
	I recommend to wax your car regularly - once in every three-four months. I tried many products and non of them stays permanently. Any car wax needs to be re-applied regularly.

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How to remove paint marks left by other objects

This mark on the door was made on the parking lot when someone opened the door a bit too wide. If you look very closely it's actually green paint residue over original clearcoat. The clearcoat itself seems to be damaged only slightly. I'll try to remove this mark. All I need for this is ultra-fine 1500-grit or 2000-grit waterproof sandpaper (the higher number stands for the finest abrasive), polishing compound containing mild abrasive (I used the Turtle Wax) and a car wax. Very carefully (I don't want to remove the clearcoat) I sand the marks with wet sandpaper (use only ultra-fine waterproof sandpaper) until all marks are gone. If you have never done it before, try on some small spot to see how it works first. 

Now there is no mark, but the clearcoat has lost its shine; I will use polishing compound to make it shiny again. I put small amount of the polishing compound onto the damp sponge and rub well until the clearcoat becomes shiny again.

Last step, I wash out all the polishing compound and buff the area with the car wax. Now, all that's left from the paint mark is a barely visible dent.

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How to repair stone chips

The stone chips if not repaired in time will cause corrosion like in the first photo. That's why it's good idea to repair stone chips as soon as they appear. This one, near the headlight in the second photo is not corroded yet, so I'll try to repair it. The car is clean and dry and I have all I need: the matching spray paint ordered from a dealer and a sharp wooden stick (a toothpick will work as well). After shaking the spray paint very well for a few minutes, I spray very small amount into the cap. Now, I dip the end of the stick into the paint in the cap. 

First, I'm trying to repair another stone chip in a less visible area to practice. Very carefully, I'm trying to barely fill up the chip without letting the paint to come out. It works. Now I'm doing the same with the chip near the headlight. Now it looks much better and it won't be corroded.

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Undercoating and rustproofing your vehicle

Rusted brake system proportioning valve

If you live in an area with high humidity, or where the salt use is common in winter months, undercoating and rustproofing can help to protect the car body and chassis components of your car from corrosion. Look at the picture, this is a proportioning valve, part of the brake system. It's located underneath the car and as you can see, it's completely rusted, even though this vehicle is only five years old. This happened because this vehicle was driven in a "rust belt" area with high humidity and lots of salt on the roads in winter. Sometimes later, one of these brake lines can burst and the car will have no brakes.

Properly done undercoating and rustproofing can protect important components of the car from corrosion.

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How to wax your car

Wax your car regularly. A car wax gives shiny look to your car and helps to shield the paint from harsh environment, protecting it from fading. It takes only about 30 minutes to wax a whole car and high-quality car wax stays on the car for three - four months. So far, I haven't seen a single product that stays for life time as you may have heard in some commercials - nothing lasts forever. In order to maintain protective coat any product needs to be reapplied periodically.

Follow this link for illustrations:

How to wax a car

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Wash your car

Wash your car regularly - I'd recommend to do this at least once a month. Things like bugs, bird's dropping, or limestone dripping damage the paint leaving permanent stains if not washed off in time. When the car is clean, all the moisture dries up quickly, but when it's dirty, the moisture accumulates in dirty areas causing corrosion. At least once in a while use a pressure wash - you can find a pressure wash at self-service coin car wash stations. The pressure was removes the dirt from difficult to reach areas. Don't hold the pressure wash jet too close to the painted surfaces, it can peel off a loose paint. Wash off all the places where the dirt and salt could be accumulated; for example, behind moldings, inside wheel arches, under the bumpers, etc. It's particularly helpful after winter season - to wash out all the salt accumulations that speed up the corrosion process. Don't forget to wash all the dirt from the windshield. The sand that left out on the windshield gets caught by the windshield wipers blades and scratches the windshield when the wipers are operating.

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Car body care tips

Why do we need to take care of car body?

It's not very difficult to keep your vehicle looking good. With regular care even a very old car can look new. How old, do you think, is this vehicle in the upper left image? Looks nice, doesn't it? This Mercedes-Benz is 15 years old, with almost 300,000 km (186,000 miles) behind! More than that, it has never been repainted - this is its original paint. Now look at the lower image, this three-year-old car is already corroded through. It's a big difference, isn't it? If you planning to keep your car longer, the car body needs as much care as the engine or transmission So, how to keep your car's body in good shape? How to keep it shiny? Read below

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11 car-care tips that save gas

Fill up with a lower-octane gasoline. Buy the lowest grade or octane of gasoline that is appropriate for your car. Unless your car requires premium gasoline, filling up your car with high-octane fuel is a waste of money. That pricey premium fuel won't boost your car's fuel economy or performance in the least, so skip it.

If you're not sure what grade of fuel works best for your car, open up your owner's manual and take a look. As long as your engine doesn't knock or ping when you fuel up with regular unleaded, you're good to drive on this much cheaper gas. Passing on pricey premium gasoline could save you hundreds of dollars a year.

Don't top off. Don't bother topping off when filling your car's gas tank. Any additional gas is just going to slop around or seep out. Why waste your money paying for gas your car won't use? Stop pumping at the first indication that your tank is full when the automatic nozzle clicks off.

Tighten up that gas cap. Gas will evaporate from your car's gas tank if it has an escape. Loose, missing or damaged gas caps cause 147 million gallons of gas to evaporate each year, according to the Car Care Council. So be sure to tighten up that gas cap each time you fuel up your car.

Go for the shade. The hot summer sun that makes the inside of your car feel like a sauna also zaps fuel from your gas tank.

"If you let your car bake in the sun there's going to be a greater amount of evaporative emissions that take place than if you park in the shade," says Jim Kliesch, research associate at the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy and vehicle analyst for GreenerCars.com.

So park your car in the shade of a building or tree whenever possible. And buy a good windshield shade. A windshield shade blocks sunlight and helps to keep heat out of the inside of your car.

Use your garage for your car. Got a garage? Clear it out and make room for your car. Parking in your garage will help your car stay warm in winter and cool in summer, and you won't have to depend as much on your gas-guzzling air-conditioning or defroster when you drive.

Pump up your tires. Don't get caught driving on underinflated tires. Underinflated tires wear down more quickly and they also lower your car's gas mileage.

"Tires that have low pressure offer more resistance so the engine is going to work harder to keep the car at 60," says Brian Moody, road test editor at Edmunds.com.

Your car's gas mileage may plummet by as much as 15 percent. Driving on underinflated tires may also reduce the life of your tires by 15 percent or more.

Check your tire pressure once a month. Buy a digital gauge and keep it in your glove box. Compare the pressure in your tires with the recommended pressure listed in your owner's manual and on the placard in your car door. Then inflate your tires as needed. Be sure to check tire pressure when your tires are cold. A good time is early in the morning after your car's been idle overnight.

Keep your engine in tune. Fixing a car that is out of tune or has failed an emissions test can boost gas mileage by about 4 percent. So be sure to give your car regular tune-ups. You'll also want to watch out for worn spark plugs. A misfiring spark plug can reduce a car's fuel efficiency by as much as 30 percent.

Replace air filters. Keep a close eye on your engine's air filter. When the engine air filter clogs with dirt, dust and bugs, it causes your engine to work harder and your car becomes less fuel-efficient. Replacing a clogged air filter could improve your gas mileage by as much as 10 percent and save you 15 cents a gallon. It's a good idea to have your engine air filter checked at each oil change. The Car Care Council recommends changing your car's air and oil filters every three months or 3,000 miles or as specified in your owner's manual.

Use the right oil. You can improve your car's gas mileage by 1 percent to 2 percent by using the manufacturer's recommended grade of motor oil. Opt for motor oil with the words "energy conserving" on the API performance label. This oil contains friction-reducing additives.

Don't skimp on maintenance. Be serious about auto care. Your car's performance depends on it.

"Always follow the manufacturer-recommended maintenance," Moody says. "The car's designed to run a certain way. If you neglect it, it won't be as efficient."

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Treat tires for Comfort and Safety

Treat tires for Comfort and Safety. Tires are one of the most influential part of the vehicle and the most easily checked condition. But precisely because it is easy to many people who shrugged it off, it even can interfere with comfort and reduce your safety in driving.

car tire treatment

Treat tires for Comfort and Safety

We often see many cases of road accidents caused by tire was not in good condition. Sometimes only a trivial problem, such as lack of air pressure inside the tire. Precisely because of the lack of air pressure inside the tire, can result in damage to the sidewall. ability ken
vehicles in transporting the load gets heavier and also makes the car to be wasteful of fuel. So there is nothing wrong if we always check the condition of vehicle tires regularly.

But in regulating the wind inside the tires of course we can not determine the air pressure inside the tire was right or not, and again it is the type of radial tires. But, at least you should have the tools to measure the tire pressure. Check the wind conditions at the tire at least 2 weeks or when they want to travel long distances.

At the time of tire temperatures are high, avoid reducing wind pressure on the tires, because the air pressure inside the tire will automatically be increased if in the tire increases. Better to let the past until the temperature of the tire down, only then we can check the wind on the tires. And if you’ve finished checking the condition of the tires, make sure the tire valve cap firmly in place. May be useful for us all.

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Car Washing Tips

Car Washing Tips. Almost everyone had his own car wash, especially if the season is uncertain, as now, now washed, because of rain, the next should be washed again. Although often do a ‘ritual’ clean-up vehicle, but not everyone realizes that the way the car wash, will affect the durability factor? The car itself. Regardless of whether you wash yourself or to a car wash, you should note the important things in the process of washing.

There are some important things you need to look at if it would wash the car, such as water, washing equipment and washing methods. Because water is the main thing in the washing process, note the condition of water used, whether the look cloudy or dirty? If one of the criteria mentioned there in the water, the water is not recommended to be used for washing cars.

car washing

If the water was murky and dirty (eg river water or pond water, then of course instead of the car is getting cleaner, even feces grew older. Without realizing that the turbid water also contains impurities, although very subtle. Over time, dirt will settle and will be piled in the car , this can you see the indication on the car body which tends more and more dull and opaque.

The second is to wash equipment. When you wash your car at the car wash, generally have a lot of equipment that uses a compressor, or a steam wash. But if you wash at home or in the residence itself, usually sufficient with tools soft cloth (such as T-shirts in the former), plastic chamois, buckets, water hoses, brushes and soap.

But there also are using the appliance, wash the steam engine itself, specifically for the wash? Cars, usually small in size, about 600 watts, and certainly not too high, there are weaknesses in addition to this tool, this tool should be connected to the faucet where the water comes from tanks, containers and place of its own water so that their locations have high water pressure over large. In addition, because this tool can not suck water from the container or bucket just ordinary.

Regardless of whether you use the steam wash or simply use a bucket alone, it is advisable to wipe the water and soap and use 2 types of plastic cloth or chamois. One is for wiping delicate parts such as body, hood and glass or mica lamp, and a second plastic chamois to wipe the wheels, tires, engines and non-body parts of another.

Just when washing, do not let any exchange function of the round, it makes the smooth parts (body, hood, lights) into blisters, because if you use one lap, then the impurities such as soil, asphalt or sand from the tire or wheel and foot-leg afraid to stick and damage the other soft.

Soap that we use also should not be indiscriminate, use soap suitable for washing vehicles, do not use soap to wash clothes, apply soap or detergent for example. Be careful in the use of kerosene. Generally, people use kerosene to remove old asphalt or oil and dirt on the engine or body.

The last and most important is washing it self. Washing is good, which start from the bottom up, start by wetting the entire surface of the car, after it began to rub the legs and the machine, only after that body parts and lights.

For the drying process, starting from the top down to bottom, with a dry objective is not exposed to water again when wiping up. For tires, after being washed clean, to be more visible we can use polish shiny tires. Many brands on the market, from cheap to expensive, but you can also try using a type of soft drink beverages as a replacement tire polish, just half a bottle of ordinary size, apply with a brush, or a large canvas to the tires. Good luck.

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Cat Care Tips, Car Glass and Interior

Cat Care Tips, Car Glass and Interior. Paint, glass and interior would be dull and unattractive if not treated. Here, some tips for caring for the color of paint, glass, and interior of your favorite car:

1. Washing your car properly, use a shampoo that is specifically for the car in the wash.
2. When you paint your car exposed to dust, do not wipe with a cloth. Better to be washed, because if wiped with a cloth, will cause swirlmark (cobwebs) on your paint.

car polishing

Cat Care Tips, Car Glass and Interior

3. Car paint more often given a wax to protect from the hot sun, rain water is sour.
4. For the glass, use wiper fluid on the windshield so you do not easily arise mushrooms.

glass

windshield was easy mushrooms

5. For the car seat made ??of leather / oscar, you should wear liquid leather cleaner(conditioner) so as not to break / crack and make the interior more refined.
6. For the dashboard, use liquid interor protection so dull and the dashboard is noteasily cracked by the sun.
7. Use a cloth that is smooth when rubbed the liquid on the surface of paint, glass, seatsand dashboard.
8. Use a special perfume for a car as your car air freshener, so you can be comfortableat the time of the car.

special perfume car

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Tips for Caring for Cars in Rainy Season

“The rainy season has arrived, some people view the rainy season as a blessing, but not so much as for the owner of the car, the rain makes the car dirty and unsightly eye”

Especially if you live in flood-prone area and you definitely do not want your favorite car under water, because any sophisticated car, it’s really never designed to hold water.

In addition, the integrity of several components, both in engine and drive components also needs to be protected from the threat of water. At least not in preparation for the car not stalled despite continued to rain or even forced to pass through some puddles. Although sometimes this simple examination of our visit to workshop entailed subscription if indeed there are some serious damage .

Is not it better to prevent than to strike when the flood struck during heavy rain. So, there’s nothing wrong we look and observe the tricks and tips on how to care for and clean the car in the wet season.

• As we know a lot of rain water containing salt and fine grains of dirt, so do not immediately wipe, better Dampen your first car body with clean water until evenly distributed. Then wash the car with a low foaming shampoo and rinse again and wipe evenly.
• Do not leave any dirt or salt by rain water on the car body more than 3 days, because it will cause rust, mildew and water stains are dry.
• Clean your car thoroughly, such as: car hinge, the edge of the trunk, the car door edge, the edge of the hood, etc.. Do not leave marks on the body of water after washing the car for too long because it can leave scars that are difficult eliminated.
• Clean your car or half after the first part completed and then the other.
• Avoid washing cars with high foaming shampoo, if not too dirty, just with water alone.

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