How to preserve your car’s paintwork

Many car owners would love their cars to have the best shine, without dents or scratches.

According to Derrick Mugambe, a car painter in Bwaise, Kampala, correctly painting a car is a process which takes into account the size, colour and condition of the vehicle. Usually, he adds, car painters start by dusting the car, removing rusty parts using gel or rust inhibiting liquid, straightening dents which is also called panel beating and then sanding using sandpaper to perfect the panel.

 “We then apply two to three layers of primer for consistency and smoothening of the surface from the roof down, cover all parts of the vehicle’s interior using masking tape, apply paint and give it time to cure. Then, we wax the car or wash it with soap,” Mugambe says, adding that while one may want to accomplish the job in an hour or two, patience and attention to detail will ultimately pay off.

Time

Mugambe says a good paint job takes four to seven days and this is done depending on the damages, appearance and size of the vehicle.

Timothy Bukenya, a painter and dealer in motor vehicle spare parts and accessories in Ntinda, Kampala, says the cost of painting a car will range between Shs900,000 to Shs1.5m, depending on the size of the car and the damage. It is because of this cost that experts gives tips on how one can preserve their paint for the longest time possible:

Mugambe says the best way to protect your car’s paint is to drive carefully. According to www.weny.com, this may seem obvious, but it takes a while to relearn some driving techniques that put your car in danger. Implementing defensive driving techniques, tips that keep you safe on the road, is crucial for car scratch prevention.

“Leaving enough space between cars and stationary objects is a good practice. Low-hanging tree branches or large bushes may scrape your paint. Damage while driving can range from small scratches to a completely totaled car. It is important that you follow the rules of the road so that you and your car are in less danger,” the experts advise.

Polishing

The other way to preserve car paintwork is doing T-Cut. T-Cut helps remove surface scratches, dirt and scuffs, among others. Mugambe says this can be done twice a year to keep the car’s paint in good condition. Polishing or buffing the vehicle also preserves car paint since scratches are made less visible.

Bukenya advises that using a car cover is key. He says for car owners that park their cars outside shelters, it is essential to use a car cover, especially at night to avoid dew that makes paintwork fade quickly. The cover will also give your car a barrier to shield it from, say debris and also offer protective padding to keep your car safe from small impacts.

Car wash

To clean your car, Mugambe says, first rinse it to remove dirt that would scratch the car surface. Also, cleaning off things such as cement and bird dropping while the car surface is still wet will help preserve the car’s paint.

Experts add that regularly waxing your vehicle can go a long way toward protecting the paint from damage. Wax adds an extra barrier between the elements and the paint job, so not only does that help you avoid more damage from impact, but it also protects the vehicle from the ultraviolet rays of the sun and against the harsh weather.

The general rule is you should wax your vehicle every three months.

Don’ts

Margret Nantongo, a car owner, cautions against parking the car in a place where children often play. Children, she says, will always be tempted to scratch the car using any sharp object they come across such as stones. She adds that while dusting your car, do not use dirty cloths as these contain dust that might cause minor scratches to the paint.

Do not use dish detergent or regular soap to wash your car. According to Richard Green, the national director of the South African Motor Body Repair Association (SAMBRA) says “If your car is regularly waxed, dish washing liquid will remove the thin protective wax layer.”