Executive Auto Salon Blog

A car is probably one of the many responsibilities, as well as “loves” in person’s life. In fact, many associate buying a car with being their first memorable accomplishment. So therefore, a car is most commonly associated to a person’s success as well as their well-being. In the end, a car carries a lot of importance because it often becomes a part of an owner’s life and family, and like a person’s loved ones, a car may occasionally “fall sick.”  With so much misinformation out there surrounding car care, people fail to provide proper care to their cars. So, there is no wonder why people get confused about what the truth is, and what’s fiction.

Apparently paint care is one area that raises a lot of questions. By examining the myths, one can surely see the proper care to be implemented for his or her car. Some people believe that a wax made of 100-percent carnauba is superior to those using lesser amounts. Although Carnauba wax has been a favorite among car enthusiasts for years, no wax is made of 100-percent carnauba. Known as the hardest natural wax, carnauba is much too hard to apply directly to automotive paint. It comes in bricks that must be melted and added to a company’s formulation. If a paint protectant advertises “pure carnauba,” it means that a “part” of the formula containing the carnauba is pure—not that it’s 100-percent actual carnauba.

Some people believe in avoiding a silicone-based wax. If used, the vehicle can’t be repainted. However, this is in fact, not true.  It is true that silicones are a bane of the auto painter because the particles of silicone are on the sheet metal when it’s painted, keeping the paint from adhering to the surface thus causing defects known as “fisheyes.” That’s why some professional cleaners and polishes intended for shop use are formulated without silicone. However, once paint is on the car, silicone is no longer an issue. In fact, virtually every wax on the market uses some kind of silicone in its formula because it enhances the product’s ease of application, gloss, and durability. If repainting is necessary, a body shop can easily take off the wax as part of its normal preparation. More importantly, people assume that a good looking finish ensures good shape. In fact, there are different degrees of glossiness, and paint can dull so gradually you may not realize that it’s happening. Furthermore, people believe that oxidation is a major problem for factory paint.

Another myth is that some people believe that clear-coat finishes don’t require waxing. Clear-coat finishes are susceptible to environmental contaminations, because a clear-coat is still just another layer of paint and is subject to the same deterioration as paint with pigment. Hence, they require waxing.  The most prevalent myths are that some believe machine buffing is dangerous for paint. However, there are different types of machines designed for buffing and polishing which are all safe when matched with the right skill level. An orbital buffer is the least aggressive type and can be easily used by the average “do-it-yourselfer.”

By acknowledging some of these facts and myths, the car owner can take better care of his or her car.

It is quite a common routine to have your car brushed against another on the road. You left late at work tired and then on road you are hit by another muzzy driver. There are other common situations where you are likely to get those dents on your car. It is sort of impossible to discipline the traffic; however, there are options available to cure the dents effectively at home without having to take your car to the expensive car shops. At times, the dents are too small to take to a car shop for an expensive repairing but too big to be ignored by you. In this situation, one must use homemade treatments for such petty issues that can be dealt with patience. Remember one thing; the key of this treatment is patience. Body fillers, or commonly known as Bondo, is originally referred to a two-part putty manufactured by 3M for automobile body repair. Before going ahead, it is better to be familiarized with the bad reputation of body fillers. They have bad reputation in the industry but if used correctly body fillers can do wonders. In fact, upon using them correctly, they can do a great job in almost all kinds of repairs. You will not find even single body shops which don’t have body fillers on the counters. It was made of lead in the olden times but it started causing loss of brain cells and reproductive acuity which helped it shelved. It is also described as a plastic resin that is sandable, adheres well to metal, and has a long life. Let us use the body fillers to repair dent.

You gotta be patient to repair it smoothly and effectively. You gotta take your time and you will have great results in the long run. You need sandpaper, body filler, glazing and spot putty, rigid plastic spreader, flexible plastic spreader, and automotive primer. First remove the paint and then mix the proper amount of hardener with body filler. With the help of the plastic spreader, spread filler in the area at least 3 inches outside of the actual damage. Remember you have only five minutes to do so. Sand the filler using 150 grit sandpaper until smooth then use 220 grit-papers to sand. Smooth spot putty across the repair surface with a flexible plastic spreader. Now, use 400 grit sandpaper and spot the putty away. Spray the surface with a primer/sealer. Mask off the area to avoid getting paint on non-painted areas. Now, let the primary coat to dry. Remove masking tape, smooth repaired area and use 400 grit wet or dry sandpaper. Fill a spray bottle with clean water and spray the repair area. Sand the primer when you see the old paint show through the primer.  In this way, you can deal with the car dents at home only. It is a hectic and tiresome method but still it is quite a convenient method to deal with ugly dents. More importantly, they are quite inexpensive.