An elastic polyvinyl chloride coating is sprayed on the bottom of the body over the entire surface, after which the general preservation of the bottom is carried out using wax-based anti-corrosion mastic.
In industrial areas, deposits of rust, lime, greasy soot, precipitates containing sulfur dioxide (acid rain), as well as other air pollutants, with insufficient car care, inevitably cause damage to the paintwork, as a rule, on the horizontal surfaces of the body.
In coastal regions, increased corrosion is especially facilitated by a high concentration of salts in the air and its high humidity.
As a result of mechanical action (sand, salt spilled on the roads, small stones, etc.) Corrosion, depending on the type and depth of damage, can spread from the damaged area, penetrating under the multilayer structure of the coating.
Knowing the negative impact of environmental factors on painted surfaces, all BMW workshops offer tried and tested branded car care products for sale.
Paint care
A weekly car wash is recommended as a way to prevent damage to the coating. In some cases, especially heavily soiled stains must be cleaned as soon as the dirt gets on the painted surface.
At once (before car wash) clean up spilled fuel, oils, greases and brake fluid (from contact with which the coating changes its structure and color), as well as from organic contaminants that corrode the coating.
Car wash
To avoid the formation of stains, do not wash the car with a hot hood, immediately after, and even more so during exposure to the sun. When washing automatically, make sure that the parts mounted on the body are not damaged (like spoilers).
Attention: When using steam or high pressure cleaning systems, keep a sufficient distance from the vehicle. Too short distance or too high pressure can cause damage or cause damage during further operation. In addition, the penetration of water into vehicle parts can lead to damage over time.
Inaccessible areas (door sills, door and hood cavities, etc.) must be washed by hand.
Try to wash your car more often, especially during the winter months.
Attention: After washing the car, the brakes become damp and their effectiveness drops! Therefore, disc brakes must be dried by short-term braking.
Dirt stains on painted surfaces are particularly visible when washing the car. Immediately after washing, they must be wiped off with a clean cloth or cotton swab dipped in washing gasoline or alcohol. Bituminous stains are removed with a specially designed product.
After washing, the surface of the car should be coated with a preservative.
To preserve the paintwork, only special products based on carnauba or synthetic wax should be used. If the water no longer rolls off the coating with pearl drops, then it's time to treat it with a preservative. You can eliminate minor coating defects with branded coloring agents in the form of an aerosol, pencil or film.
The color code of your car is affixed to a special memo placed next to the name plate, as well as on the first page of the service book.
Serious damage to the paintwork must be repaired at a BMW workshop by qualified repainting according to the factory rules and using branded materials.
Alloy wheel rims should be maintained using (following the manufacturer's instructions), especially in winter, a disc cleaner, however, do not use aggressive, acidic, concentrated alkaline and abrasive cleaning materials and do not allow steam jets with temperatures above 60°C.
The glass on the inside and the reflective surfaces of the mirrors are wiped with a household glass cleaner.
Plastic parts, leatherette upholstery, ceiling, ceiling glass, as well as parts with a black matte coating are washed with water, sometimes with the addition of car shampoo. Do not let the ceiling upholstery get wet. Parts made of polymeric materials are wiped, if necessary, with a plastic cleaner.
Caution: Never use cold dry cleaning solvents, nitro thinners, motor fuels, etc.
Rubber parts, if they are not washed with water, can only be treated with a care product or silicone spray.
Wiper blades are washed with soapy water.
Seat belts can only be cleaned with a mild soapy solution without removing them from the vehicle; dry cleaning of the belts is unacceptable, as this can lead to destruction of the fabric. Heavily soiled carpeted floors and foot mats* are tidied up with an interior cleaner. The floor mats can be cleaned by removing them from the vehicle.
Seat upholstery care
You can restore the hairiness of worn places that form on the upholstery of seats during everyday use by driving over them «against wool» with a slightly damp brush.
Wash stains and extensive dirt immediately with warm water or remove with an interior cleaner, stain remover or washing gasoline. After that, on the areas of the upholstery subjected to cleaning, the pile must be lifted with a brush. Due to the accumulation of an electrostatic charge in the upholstery, which is especially intense at low air humidity, a person, having already left the car, can receive an electric shock if he touches the metal parts of the body. This completely harmless nuisance can be avoided by holding on to one of these metal parts when exiting the vehicle.
If you want to almost completely eliminate the appearance of an electrostatic charge, you can use an aerosol with an antistatic agent.
Skin care
Upholstery leather* made in-house by BMW is a valuable natural product processed using the latest technology, which, with proper care, retains its original high level of quality for many years.
Since we are talking about a genuine product of natural origin, along with its properties, restrictions on use, as well as features of caring for it, should be taken into account.
Regular cleaning and maintenance is essential, as dust and road grime work as an abrasive into the pores and folds, causing intense abrasion of the leather, as well as premature brittleness of its surface.
Cover the leather upholstery when exposed to intense sunlight or when standing in the sun for a long time (or all car windows), so that it doesn't burn out.
Wipe the leather surface with a knitted or woolen cloth slightly moistened with water, while not allowing the leather or seams to get wet through. When the leather is dry, wipe it again with a clean and soft cloth. Heavily soiled leather surfaces can be washed with a mild, finely dispersed washing powder that does not contain bleach (two tablespoons per liter of water). Grease and oil stains (without rubbing) remove with a swab moistened with washing gasoline.
Do not use laundry soap, cleaners or polishes, or products containing silicone or solvents.
Cleaned leather upholstery should also be treated with a leather care product that is also antistatic. Before use, the liquid is shaken well and applied in a thin layer with a soft cloth. After drying, the skin is wiped with a clean and soft cloth. Under normal use, this treatment is recommended to be carried out every six months.
Warning: Keep cleaning products out of the reach of children. Some of them are poisonous or flammable, so before using any product, always read the instructions first, as well as the warnings and recommendations on the packages. When cleaning interior parts, always open the car doors or roll down the windows. Never use cleaners or solvents that are not designed for use on your vehicle.