Exterior care of the car body and interior (BMW X3 E83)

Car wash

Your new BMW can be washed in automatic car washes from day one. Preference should be given to installations with textile attachments.

If you have to use brush washing machines, choose machines with soft brushes. It is recommended to soften and wash off any stuck-on insects and stubborn dirt before washing your car using BMW insect remover or wheel cleaning gel. To prevent stains, it is not recommended to wash your car with a warm hood, immediately after prolonged exposure to the sun, or under direct sunlight.

When visiting an automatic car wash, make sure that:

• Before entering the car wash, the car is cleaned of sand and other heavy dirt using a steam jet unit.
• The dimensions of the car wash are suitable for your car.
• There will be no damage to vehicle body parts such as spoilers, radio or telephone antennas. Unscrew the whip antennas. If necessary, consult with the washing machine operator.
• The car wash conveyors will not damage your car's wheels and tires.
• Washing is carried out with the minimum possible brush pressure and there is a sufficient amount of wash water.

Cars with a comfort access system and automatic transmission: before entering the car wash:

• Insert the electronic key into the ignition switch, otherwise the engine will not turn off when the selector lever is in position N.
• Follow the vehicle's operating instructions for entering car washes.
• Clean hard-to-reach areas such as sills, door edges and hood by hand. When hand washing your car, we recommend using BMW car shampoo or BMW Wasch & Wachs. During the winter months, wash your car more frequently. Heavy dirt and road salt are not only difficult to remove, but also cause damage to vehicle parts.

Caution: When using steam jets and high-pressure washers, ensure the nozzles are kept at a sufficient distance from the vehicle and that the jet temperature does not exceed 60°C. Insufficient distance or excessive pressure may cause small or hidden defects that may later become larger. Also remember that water that penetrates into closed components and parts of a car can contribute to their slow destruction.

Rain gauge vehicles

To reduce the squeaking of the wiper blades, it is recommended to regularly wipe the windshield with BMW glass cleaner. Wax from car wash systems and insects can cause the rain sensor to malfunction.

Caution: Before entering a car wash, turn off the rain sensor; otherwise, unintentional activation of the windshield wipers may damage them.

Headlights

When cleaning headlights:

• Do not rub them dry or use abrasive or caustic products.
• Pollution (for example, dried insects) soak with BMW car shampoo or BMW insect remover and rinse with plenty of water.
• Remove ice using BMW glass deicer, not a scraper.

After washing the car

Caution: Moisture can temporarily reduce brake performance and cause corrosion of brake discs, so after washing your car, dry the brakes by briefly pressing the brake pedal.

Paintwork

Thanks to its multi-layer structure, the paint coating protects the car body from corrosion. To preserve hidden cavities, in addition to priming using the immersion method, materials specially developed for these purposes and tested over many years are used. The underbody is coated with an elastic PVC layer and then completely sealed with a wax-based anti-corrosion mastic. Regular maintenance promotes driving safety and preserves the consumer properties of the car. Continuous research into the negative impacts of the environment on paintwork allows automobile and automotive paint and varnish manufacturers to continually improve the wear resistance of paints and varnishes. But the negative environmental impacts vary greatly across regions. Therefore, the frequency and intensity of paintwork maintenance should depend on the climatic characteristics of your region. When exposed to mechanical impacts such as sand, road salt, crushed stone, etc., depending on the depth of penetration, corrosion from the damaged area can spread under the paintwork. Street dirt, tar stains, insects, animal excrement with a high alkaline content, or plant waste products such as resin or pollen contain components that, with prolonged exposure, can cause damage to the paintwork, such as staining, swelling, corrosion, and peeling of the topcoat. In industrial regions, settling particles of rust, lime, oily soot, sulfur deposits and other air pollutants lead, if not properly maintained, to inevitable damage to the paintwork, usually on horizontal exterior surfaces. In coastal areas, high salt content and air humidity contribute to the rapid development of corrosion. In the tropical zone, along with strong ultraviolet radiation and high humidity, temperatures above 40°C in the shade are common. Under these conditions, light-colored paintwork can reach temperatures of up to 80°C, while dark-colored paintwork can reach temperatures of up to 120°C.

Paintwork care

It is important to wash your car regularly to prevent long-term exposure to substances that destroy the car's paintwork, especially if you drive in areas with high levels of chemicals or natural pollutants in the air, such as tree sap or pollen. Particularly aggressive substances must be removed immediately, as they may cause damage or discoloration of the paintwork. Such substances include, for example, gasoline, oil, grease, brake fluid, and bird droppings. In such cases, it is recommended to use BMW car polish, BMW paint cleaner, or BMW Wasch & Wachs. Surface paint contamination is especially visible after washing the car. Such contamination should be removed immediately with a clean cloth soaked in cleaning gasoline or alcohol. To remove tar stains, use BMW tar stain remover. After cleaning, the paintwork in these areas must be preserved.

Conservation

To preserve paintwork, use only products containing carnauba or synthetic wax, such as BMW car wax or BMW Wasch & Wachs. For quicker preservation, BMW Express Wachs is recommended. If water beads do not roll off the painted surfaces, the paintwork needs to be reapplied. After preservation, remove any remaining silicone and care product from the vehicle's windows using BMW glass cleaner or silicone remover concentrate.

Recovery

BMW paint shops are equipped with all the necessary equipment for quick and cost-effective restoration of minor paint damage and spot repairs. To touch up minor defects, use BMW spray paint or paint stick. Stone chip damage and scratches should be repaired immediately to prevent rust. Your vehicle's exterior color number is located on a plate next to the vehicle's nameplate. If corrosion has already begun in areas of minor damage to the paintwork, it is first necessary to completely remove the rust and clean the damaged area. Then prime with BMW primer pencil, dry and apply top coat. After a few days, polish and preserve the restored area. For qualified restoration of major paintwork damage according to the manufacturer's instructions and using original paint materials, contact a BMW service station.