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Index Data Technology Repairs Car care Controls Overview
Caring for your vehicle
Caring for the vehicle finish
Regular washing is a preventive
measure against long-term effects from
substances that are harmful to the
vehicle's finish, especially if you drive
your vehicle in areas with high levels of
air pollution or aggressive natural
substances (tree resins, pollen).
Nevertheless, you should immediately
remove especially aggressive
substances. Failure to do so can lead to
changes in the paint's chemical
structure or to discoloration. Gasoline
spilled during refueling, oil, grease and
brake fluid should always be cleaned
away immediately, as should bird
droppings.
Any contamination remaining on the
surface of the vehicle will be especially
conspicuous after washing. Use
cleaning fluid or alcohol with a clean
cloth or cotton pad to remove. Remove
tar spots with tar remover. After clean-
ing, the affected areas should be waxed
to ensure continued protection.
Use the cleaning and car-care
products available at your BMW
center.<
Waxing your vehicle
Protect the finish using only carnauba
or synthetic-based waxes.
The best way to determine when the
finish needs to be waxed is by noting
when water stops beading on the
surface.
You can use a glass cleaner to remove
any wax or silicone that may have been
left on the windows during waxing.
Use the cleaning and car-care
products available at your BMW
center.<
Paint damage
You can touch up small areas of paint
damage with a BMW spray paint or a
BMW touchup stick.
The paint color code for your car is
provided on a sticker located on the
righthand side under the hood and on
the first page of your Service and
Warranty Information Booklet
(US models) or Warranty and Service
Guide (Canadian models).
Damage caused by flying stones,
scratches, etc., must be touched up
without delay to prevent rust from
forming.
If corrosion has started to form in an
area with paint damage, remove all rust
and clean the area. Then prime the
area with a BMW Primer Stick. Finally,
apply the finish coat. Wait a few days,
then polish the repaired area. Finish by
applying a wax preservative.
More extensive paint damage should
be repaired professionally in accor-
dance with the manufacturer's instruc-
tions. Your BMW center uses original
BMW finish materials in accordance
with approved repair procedures.
Online Edition for Part No. 01 41 0 155 307 - © 09/00 BMW AG