Washing and Caring for Your New Paint Finish

Brush style car washes can cause dirt to scratch your vehicle's finish (avoid if possible).

High-powered sprays in car washes often blast grit into the vehicle's finish (some produce 2000 psi). Use the lowest possible setting and stay about 2 feet away from the finish.

Do not wash your car in the sun, water drops magnify the sun's intensity and cause water spots.

Use cleaners designed for automotive finishes, not household detergents or dish soap.

When washing your car, clean inside the wheel wells and surrounding area to remove road grime from moving parts and suspension components.

Clean the tires and the wheels. Cleaning the wheels, especially those with today's clear coat finishes, is important since brake dust and road salt can cause irreversible corrosion.

Waxing your vehicle:

If your vehicle was just finished by Stoney Creek Collision you do not need to wax your vehicle. The paint we use is one of the finest coatings. It maintains itself through the high gloss finish.

Use only wax which is safe for a vehicle's finish, not those that claim to remove dirt, oxidized paint or scratches.

Waxing your vehicle in direct sunlight can permanently damage the finish.

Stay away from any areas that you do not want the wax to come in contact with (i.e., rubber surfaces, moldings, bumpers).

Carefully follow the instructions provided on the packaging of the wax you purchased.

Other Useful Tips to maintain your finish:

For the first 30 days do not drive on gravel roads, chipping occurs easily if the finish is not cured.

Wash your vehicle after driving on roads using chemicals or salt which thaw ice.

Avoid parking under trees. Remove leaves that fall on your vehicle. To remove tree sap or pine pitch from your vehicle's finish, use hot-soapy water. Wash the area thoroughly, then apply wax.

Avoid extreme temperature changes by keeping your vehicle parked in a garage or shaded area.

Avoid spilling ANY automotive fluids on the new finish. If you do, immediately RINSE the affected area.

Don't place grocery bags, luggage or other objects anywhere on your vehicle's finish.

Return to Stoney Creek Collision

Contact us if you have further questions about our products or services.

Maintaining Your Vehicle

Perform oil and filter changes according to manufacturer's recommendations (approximately every 3,000 miles).

Fuel filters need to be replaced on a periodic basis.

Engine tune-ups on a periodic basis according to manufacturer's recommendations.

Spark plug wires should be checked for corrosion, cracks and abrasions.

Batteries should be tested/inspected before cold and hot seasons (at least 2 times per year).

Regularly check battery fluid level (if applicable), especially if the battery is more than two years old.

Periodically check the tension on drive belts (belts should not be over/under tightened, about 1/2 " of play).

Hoses should be inspected (regularly during cold and hot seasons) and replaced if there is potential for leakage.

Radiator fluid levels maintained and checked regularly during cold and hot seasons. Flush, drain and replace antifreeze when needed.

In hot weather, flush dirt, bugs and leaves from front of radiator gently with a brush and garden hose.

Run your air conditioner monthly to keep the compressor in proper running order and lubricate the seals.

Maintaining Your Tires - Check list:

Check tire inflation once a month (under inflated tires can lead to increased fuel consumption, and can reduce the amount of control you have over your car, leading to possible accidents).

Have your tires rotated about every 5,000 miles (or, as a simple reminder, rotate tires at every oil change).

Inspect tire tread wear regularly, if uneven wear occurs, take your vehicle in for inspection, or replace the worn tires.

Other Useful Tips:

Replace your windshield wipers once a year.

Lubricate door hinges/latches and hood hinges periodically.

Use the "fresh air" setting of your heater instead of "recirculate" to reduce fogging of your windows (during the winter).