Car body care (Opel Frontera A)

The condition of a car's body is an extremely important factor in determining its pre-sale price. Carrying out repair procedures to restore damaged or neglected body elements is much more difficult than repairing mechanical components. Hidden areas of the body such as the wheel arches, frame and engine bay also require care, although they do not require as much attention as other body components.

Once a year or every 20,000 km (12,000 miles) mileage it is advisable to steam clean the interior surfaces of the body. Once all traces of dirt, oil and grease have been removed, the surfaces can be inspected for signs of corrosion, damage to brake lines, deterioration of electrical wiring insulation, damage to drive cables and other faults. Upon completion of this work, it is necessary to lubricate the front suspension components.

Simultaneously steam clean or wash the outer surfaces of the engine and engine compartment with a degreasing agent.

Particular attention should be paid to the wheel arches, as the protective coating may separate from the inner surfaces and small stones and grains of sand flying out of the wheel protectors will cause damage to the paint and, as a result, the development of corrosion of the panels. If traces of corrosion (rust) are detected, they should be removed to bare metal, and the surface is covered with anti-corrosion paint

The car body must be washed about once a week. Thoroughly wet the surfaces of the car body to soften the dirt, which can then be washed off with a soft sponge or a stream of water. Careless removal of stuck-on dirt can damage the outer layer of paint.



Tar or asphalt stains that fall on the body from a hot road surface can also should be removed using a rag soaked in solvent.

Once every six months wax the body and chrome trim. Remember that when using cleaners to clean chrome surfaces, some of the chrome plating will also be removed along with the traces of corrosion - try not to use such solutions too generously.