A Guide to Maintaining and Protecting Your Vehicle’s Paintwork

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.

Why Vehicle Wrapping is better than a New Paint Job

If your paintwork has faded over the years from the sun, or if you aren’t a fan of the colour of your car, you may have strongly considered a complete re-spray to get your vehicle looking its best. However, a new paint job can be very expensive, particularly for higher quality metallic paint or for certain colours. A much cheaper yet equally effective way of giving your car a new look would be to invest in a vehicle wrap.

Vinyl wraps are increasingly popular for vehicle owners that are looking to go for a more vivid colour that could lead to a more expensive paint job, or in some cases, effects such as carbon fibre or brushed steel. A wrap for your car could make even the most dynamic vehicle stand out even more. As well as being much cheaper than a new paint job in most cases, there are a number of other reasons to choose vehicle wrapping over a complete re-spray:

• Paintwork Protection – A full vinyl vehicle wrap actually protects the original paint job of your car from weathering and many natural hazards. As well as preventing sun related fading of the paintwork, wraps are also very durable, acting as a shield against flying debris that could lead to chips and scratches.
  
• Resale Value – By keeping the original paint job intact and protected from weathering and hazards, you are much more likely to keep your resale value as high as possible. It’s also import to consider that if you re-spray your car in a particularly bright colour, it may not be a preferential colour choice for many potential buyers.
  
• Maintenance – If you are sick of constantly waxing your vehicle to keep it its shine, a full vehicle wrap could make maintenance much easier. Using only soap and water, you can have your wrap looking as good as new.
  
• More Choice – When it comes to choosing a wrap for your vehicle, the choice is practically unlimited. As well choosing from a huge list of different colours, wraps are also available in many different styles; for example, chrome and other metallic wraps are extremely popular. As well as off the shelf colours and designs, wraps also allow for custom designs which can be digitally printed. This is ideal for business vehicles, as any logos and contact information can be applied to a car, van or truck.
  
• Safe Removal – Should you want to sell your car or return it to its original factory colour for any other reason, vehicle wraps can safely be removed without causing any damage to your paintwork. 

If you are convinced that a vehicle wrap is a better choice for you than a new paint job, you can call Pro-Tints and Graphics on 01794 367088.