How to treat the car before winter. Body processing. Preparing the car for winter

We were helped to deal with the nuances of protective polishes in one of the Moscow services, which has been using these means of various types for many years. Many machines have already passed through the hands of the masters, and some of them return after some time to renew their defense. It should be noted that manufacturers of auto chemical goods of two Japanese brands (Soft99 and Beautiful G'zox) are working closely with this service, studying the behavior of their products in rather harsh Russian conditions. Our climate and rich composition of road reagents significantly reduce the service life of protection, about one and a half to two times compared to the Land of the Rising Sun.

FussoCoat epoxy polish

Epoxy polish is the easiest and cheapest option. The declared duration of the protection is one year. Alas, in our conditions it averages only six months. In Japan itself, this polish is not intended for professional, but for domestic use. An ordinary person can easily apply and polish the composition. In general, it resembles working with a regular wax-based polish. The only exception is that the body must be thoroughly dried beforehand, otherwise the composition will not fit well, and let the car settle for at least an hour after its application. Restriction in the first week of operation - do not wash the car using active chemicals. This applies to absolutely all types of protective coatings!

Epoxy polish gives good shine and hydrophobic effect (repels moisture and dirt). But it protects only from very minor damage. Basically, it all comes down to twigs and light sandblasting. Its main purpose is protection during frequent washes, so that the paintwork does not rub off so quickly.

Liquid glass H7

H7 is one of the most common and oldest representatives of the liquid glass breed on the market. The hardness of this composition is 7H (mirror image of the name). This is the so-called Kohinora scale (koh-i-nor). Many people remember such an inscription on pencils for drawing. It determines the stiffness of the lead. The maximum hardness (9H) on this scale is possessed by a ceramic protective polish.

Liquid glass H7 is much tougher than epoxy polish and protects quite well even from abrasion. However, it has absolutely no hydrophobic effect. The coating has a distinct sheen in appearance, but it does not seem to be there to the touch.

The service life of the H7 is up to one year. Before applying any type of liquid glass, the body must be prepared. If this new car, then the whole body is polished with a machine using a special very soft paste. It overwrites minor damage that inevitably appears when transporting cars on an auto transporter. This stage costs from 2,000 to 4,000 rubles, depending on the class of the car. Further, the entire body in the same way is passed by a special preparatory composition. He takes away everything he can reject liquid glass: Remains of previous polish and dirt. If this is not done, the protective coating will come off the body during the first wash.

If the car is not new, the price of preparatory work will directly depend on the condition of the paintwork and the specific car. It makes sense to apply liquid glass only on a prepared and shiny paintwork. Accordingly, in most cases it will be necessary to use abrasive polishing. The more neglected the paintwork, the more expensive it will be to restore it. And if its layer is already too thin, then abrasive polishing can only harm, therefore it is better to forget about liquid glass altogether. Additional difficulties arise with some German models, which have ceramic-based varnish from the factory. Refreshing it is much more difficult, and therefore the payment for this stage of body preparation can be equal to the cost of applying the liquid glass itself.

Liquid glass is applied with an applicator, then polished by hand. The drying time of the composition depends on its specific type. In the case of the H7, the master applies it to one part, then to the next, and then returns to polishing the previous one.

H7 is very afraid of water for the first 12 hours after application. Even one drop can leave a white spot on the surface. In ideal cases, the client brings the car in the morning, and during the day the servicemen prepare the body and apply liquid glass. The car is left overnight in a warm room and returned to the owner the next morning.

The second type of H7, called Quartz7, is own development service. The manufacturer itself does not offer such a product. This is the same liquid glass H7, but a hydrophobic layer is applied on top of it. This is because many customers do not like that the original product does not have this effect and is completely imperceptible to the touch. The application of this type of H7 without taking into account the preparation of the body costs from 11,000 to 18,000 rubles.

The hydrophobic solution is applied over the liquid glass with an aerosol and after 15–20 minutes it is slightly polished. He does not need time to dry.

When using Quartz7, periodic maintenance of the coating is possible. You can come in six months and restore the hydrophobic layer. Indeed, as practice has shown, in our conditions, alas, he does not live longer. The service costs from 1500 to 2500 rubles, depending on the class of the car.

In winter, the car body needs additional protection. Traces of stones and grains of sand, saline solution, icing - far from full list harmful effects on the paintwork. How to minimize harm from corrosive environment to body parts?

Types of protective coatings for the car body

We will agree right away that the article will leave protective equipment applied in specialized conditions - painting with polyurea, pasting with vinyl film, professional polishing with sanding of the body and application of durable multilayer protective coatings on a ceramic or silicate base ("liquid glass"). It is better to entrust this work to a specialized workshop.

But even with your own hands, you can do many useful things to improve the look of your car, as well as extend the service life of the most expensive part - the body. We will choose a free day, do the cleaning in the room, prepare the work front. Before getting down to business, all the necessary materials. There are many chemicals on sale for self-processing cars.

• Means based on - "quick wax", "hot wax";
• Teflon, polishes;
• Silicone fluids (silicon-containing pastes).

We protect the car body on our own

To start work, you need to find a place without wind and dust. A garage with a damp floor is perfect. We choose clothes without zippers and buttons on the front, so as not to scratch the machine during operation. We put on goggles to avoid getting chemicals in our eyes.

• The first stage is quality up to perfect condition. Will help alkaline with high pressure washer. Our task is to remove all dirt and remnants of old polishes from micro-scratches with the help of. We wash the body thoroughly, not forgetting about the wheel arches with the bottom.
• Chips to metal, fill with soil, let dry. Then we apply with a match, a toothpick, or a cotton swab (depending on the size of the chip).
• We clean the places where corrosion began to metal, apply. We wash it off, dry it thoroughly, and then tint it similarly to chips.
• For the restoration of minor scratches, we will use a wax pencil.
• We process visible damage on the bottom.
• After all the treated areas have dried, we polish the body using an electric polishing machine with wax, Teflon or silicone. The purpose of this operation is to smooth the edges of scratches, fill in microscopic risks with a special compound to exclude the access of moisture and aggressive substances.
• We apply - the body is ready for winter.

But what if you don't have time to repair minor defects, but you still want to protect the body for the winter? In this case, after a regular wash with shampoo, we will immediately use it - the car will shine like new.

Naturally, in terms of durability, such processing is inferior to professional and even garage. However, the positive effect is guaranteed. Dirt will not linger on the paintwork of your car, and poisonous anti-icing materials will not destroy the varnish layer.

1. In winter, it is not advisable to ride on all-season tires. They are labeled as AW and AS (Any Weather - "Any weather" and All Seasons - "All seasons"). But, despite the labeling, they can be called all-season only for warm and little snow European winters. For severe Russian frosts, it is better to use tires specially designed for such conditions, with indices: Winter (W) ("Winter"), M + S (Mud + Snow - "Dirt + Snow"). Quite often, next to such markings, you can see an image of a snowflake or cloud. When using such tires, the car will be stable on the winter road, and the ride will be comfortable and safe.
2. The question often arises about the use of studded rubber. First you need to decide on the preferred routes of movement. If you are most often located within the city, on cleaned and salted roads, then the use of studded tires is not rational for you, because studded tires on clean asphalt: the braking distance of the car increases, the likelihood of skidding and wheel blocking increases. On ice and packed snow, studded tires increase handling, so if riding on snowy trails is prevalent, go for studs. It is also important that modern classic winter tires on slippery roads, no worse than studded ones.
3. The main mistake of motorists is that when replacing tires with winter ones (it does not matter studded non-studded one) they put them on only one driving axle. It is strictly forbidden to do this, since the wheels of the front and rear axles significantly differing in adhesion coefficients can lead to unpredictable consequences. The car becomes unstable when braking, it can suddenly go into a skid. It is also desirable to have a full-size spare tire with winter tires.

It is necessary to comply with the conditions and rules for storing a summer set of tires in order for it to serve the specified period. If the storage conditions are violated, even the highest quality and expensive rubber can crack or deform. A good solution is to surrender summer tires for storage. Now some firms (including "tire fitting") offer such services. A cheaper and more practical option is to store your tires in season. It is only necessary to take into account that tires are stored in a dark place, not exposed to negative effects of sunlight. They also need to be treated with silicone if possible - this will allow the rubber not to dry out and retain its elasticity.

And remember: it is better to "change" your car in advance, even before the first snowfalls and ice. Basically, a set of wheels is replaced at an average temperature of about + 7 °. Having done this in advance, you do not have to frantically search in stores and stand in huge queues of motorists who want to get to the tire service.

Engine preparation

The engine is the heart of the car. Often in winter, starting a cold engine becomes an acute problem for a car enthusiast. This problem is especially relevant for carburetor cars, but in severe frosts it does not bypass injection engines either. Let's figure out the causes of this ailment: oil thickened in frost (it makes it difficult to move the crankshaft), a battery that has run down during the time, weak evaporation of gasoline. The best way to prepare your engine is to change the oil. In cold weather, it is good to use one that has a low viscosity. Many, of course, fill in the so-called all-season, but this is the same as with all-season tires - they are not very suitable for our harsh winters, but just right for Europe.

Ordinary oil is designed to work at -20˚C, but in order to prevent it from becoming viscous in severe frost and start the car from half a turn, the best option would be to use one designed for -35˚C. Along with changing the oil, we also replace the filter. It is imperative to check the drive belts. If there are tears and cracks, or traces of oil, you need to urgently replace them with new ones, even before the onset of cold weather, because in case of self-repair, cold, will bring additional inconvenience. Do not forget about replacing spark plugs (setting gaps) and processing high-voltage wires and parts that suffer from road salt with protective grease.

Some motorists use plain or distilled water instead of coolant. This increases the wear of the pump, and at negative temperatures it will damage the engine and the cooling system. Antifreeze must be changed every one and a half to two years. It is advisable to fill it with the same color and brand that was used earlier.

Battery check and preparation

The battery plays an important role in the winter period of operation, and can pleasantly please its owner, or cause a lot of problems and hassle. A battery that is not fully charged will run your car perfectly in summer, but may force you to use public transport in winter. Therefore, checking and servicing, and, if necessary, replacing the battery is very important when switching to winter operation. It should be noted that almost all modern batteries are maintenance-free, and if the battery does not deliver the required current, this is a sure indicator for its replacement.

Currently, there are no problems with choosing a battery. In the markets and in stores, a wide range of starter batteries are presented with various parameters, from different manufacturers, in different price categories. Some motorists, when choosing a battery, try to install a battery with a higher power than provided by the manufacturer. This is not very good both for the car generator (additional load when charging) and for the new battery (it does not fully charge, which shortens the service life). After purchasing a new battery, pay attention to its terminals: in some batteries, the polarities are not standard, and the terminal wires cannot always reach them.

Body treatment

Snow, ice, slush, mud, temperature changes, roads sprinkled with salt and other chemicals are a real test for your car body. It is during the winter period that microcracks and corrosion appear on the body most often. Therefore, anti-corrosion treatment of the car body before winter is mandatory and will keep the body in excellent condition. Some experts believe that many new cars, especially with galvanized bodies, do not require anti-corrosion treatment. But if you are the proud owner of a product of the domestic auto industry, or your body is simply not galvanized for you, according to experts, you just need to complete a complete treatment of the bottom, arches, and hidden body cavities. The cost of these services is in the range of $ 250-300 and strongly depends on the used protective compounds. This type of work requires strict adherence to technology, so it is best to carry out these works at a specialized service center.

In any case, it must be remembered that before coating with an anti-corrosion compound, all elements must be clean and dry. Processing is carried out for several years in advance, so it will not be superfluous to personally control this process. To prevent the appearance of microcracks in the paint, you can cover the body with polymer-based protective agents. They form an outer film and protect the car body from rust and external damage. Do not forget about the processing of rubber bands, electric mirrors, locks, which can freeze in severe frosts. Their processing should be done even before the onset of cold weather.

Visibility of glass is an integral element of safety and comfort. Therefore, it is worth paying attention to the work of wipers, blowing and heating systems. If the wipers are worn out, the glass is poorly cleaned, streaks remain, dirt is then also safety road traffic on such a vehicle is endangered. As a rule, every winter-summer season. In case of any malfunctions in the heating or blowing systems, the malfunction must be eliminated immediately. driving with foggy windows is dangerous and difficult.

The replacement of the windshield washer fluid from summer to frost-resistant should be done in a timely manner. Inattention and postponement "for later" can lead to unforeseen waste: disable the pump, clog hoses and other system elements.

There are a huge number of different options for interior and trunk mats (rubber, textile, combined). But as far as winter is concerned, it is most practical to use polyurethane rugs. They do not allow water to pass through, and, unlike rubber ones, do not "dub" in the cold.

Now a short list of things that may be useful during winter operation:

1. The snow brush and glass scraper are items that you will have to use almost every day. You shouldn't skimp on buying them. Take a scraper wider, made of strong plastic and a brush that can most quickly and conveniently sweep snow from all over the car.
2. A metal shovel can be very useful when digging a car out of snow. Here plastic scoops will not always be able to help, because in severe frosts they break. And it is much more convenient to use a shovel with a long handle.
3. A small touring mat can help with slipping of a car - it is very productively placed under the wheels. You can kneel on it when digging up, in extreme cases it can be used as additional thermal insulation for the engine and radiator.

Video interview - how to prepare a car for winter?

Conclusion!

Summing up, it becomes clear that preparing a car for winter is a rather complicated and lengthy procedure. Therefore, in order to avoid additional difficulties, it is necessary to start it in advance. If you follow all the procedures described above, then the probability that the car will fail is extremely small. I wish you success.

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Winter! In addition to the cold start of the car, snow drifts, constant snowfalls, the owner still needs to think about protecting the car from reagents that are sprayed on the roads. This is a sandy-salt mixture that prevents ice from forming on the roads. On the one hand, this is good, they give the car good grip. But on the other hand? These reagents have a bad effect on the bodywork, paintwork, plastic body kits and even rubber. And then a reasonable question arises - how to protect the car from them. Let's think about it ...

Cars can be roughly divided into two camps. The first are those that are more susceptible to corrosion and have little resistance to reagents, such as our VAZ, for example. The second one is those that resist reagents more or less normally, like inexpensive foreign cars (those that we call popular), as well as foreign cars are more expensive, they are even more protected from reagents.

Here are some tips.

1) It may sound trite, but the best protection is anti-corrosion treatment of the body. Of course, on many foreign cars, such processing is not required, the body is well protected from the factory. But it is possible to process the body additionally, as the saying goes “do not spoil the porridge with oil,” additional protection of the body will greatly reduce the effect of reagents. The only thing to remember is that the processing should be done during a warm period, in summer or in a warm and dry spring. But what about the paintwork?

2) The paintwork may also suffer in winter. Before the winter period, the paintwork must also be protected. It is necessary to treat the body with protective polishes. They will clog all microcracks in the paintwork and form a protective film, reagents will not penetrate deeply.

3) Wash your car as often as possible. Preferably at car washes, non-contact high-pressure washers wash away all the dirt from almost all places. Make sure that the employees of the sinks thoroughly wash off the dirt from the thresholds, mud flaps, especially from the arches. You won't wash the car with your hands, anyway, somewhere in hard-to-reach places there will be some dirt with reagents.

4) Do not forget about headlights, rims (especially stamped ones) and about the car's rubber. Rinse off dirt and reagents frequently. If glass headlights are okay, then plastic headlights can become cloudy from salt and dirt (not immediately, of course, but over time). Wheel disks they also need to be washed and rusty.

Watch your car and keep it away from reagents. I wish you a painless winter.

Winter is a time of trials. Tests by frost, slush, snow blizzards, temperature extremes, road reagents. Every autumn we prepare our wardrobe and shoes to meet the harshest time of the year: we treat shoes with water-repellent agents, anti-salt compounds, buy warm winter clothes ... Our car needs the same preparation and protection as much as we ourselves.

During their work, the specialists of the Center for Professional Detailing Advance Star saw many unpleasant consequences of "wintering" cars: paint peeling, chips, scratches and dents on the body from sand, gravel and stones flying from under the wheels of cars, rubbing and damage to the surface of glasses, mirrors and headlights after removing frozen snow and ice, faded discs , muddy headlights ... All this can be avoided by preparing your "iron horse" in advance for use in winter.

Especially at this time, the body paintwork suffers, which is experiencing dangerous pressure from several fronts at once. First of all, these are road reagents, generously sprinkled road services on the road. Perfectly dissolving snow and ice, they become the main cause of metal corrosion and clouding of varnish on the body. It seems that there is a way out - frequent visits to car washes. But here, too, there is a terrible danger - many car washes use cheap aggressive chemicals, which can cause even more damage to the body.

the consequences of some car washes

And finally, the third aggressor for our car is ourselves! Yes Yes! Sweeping snow from the body with car brushes, we mercilessly scratch the body paintwork, noticing the consequences only in the spring on a clean car, illuminated by the sun's rays.

All this can be avoided by preparing your "iron horse" for winter operation. And our professionals and modern detailing technologies will help you with this.

Body treatment before winter.

Pre-winter car treatment is mainly to protect the body and its paintwork. As a rule, a light anti-hologram polishing is required for a new car, which will clean the body from various preservatives and contaminants so that the adhesion of the body paint layer with the protective coating composition is the strongest and most effective. For a car that has already been operated in difficult Russian conditions, the best solution would be abrasive polishing with subsequent protection.

Everything is individual. What kind of body treatment for the winter is needed for your car will be shown by a professional inspection and assessment of our specialists. After visual inspection, using special device the thickness of the paintwork is measured. Depending on its condition, a decision is made on the scope of further restoration and protective work. In any case, the procedure for preparing the body before winter includes the correct two-phase washing, refurbishing polishing and applying a protective coating. Which one - you decide, based on our recommendations and your wishes. We offer our customers the best formulations from well-known world manufacturers - Ceramic PRO 9H, Mega Trend, Advance. Together with reliable protection, they will give the body a beautiful glossy sheen and provide a stable hydrophobic effect. All this will make your car trips even more pleasant and comfortable.