Saab 1987 900 Owner's Manual page 70

68 Car care and scheduled maintenance
touch-up paint. Touch-up in the standard
Saab colors can be purchased from your
Saab dealer.
Washing
The car should be washed frequently. When
it is new, it shuld be washed by hand using
only cold water and a clean, soft brush
attached to a hose. Automatic car washes
should be avoided during the first few
months. After five to six months the paint-
work has hardened and to make washing
easier, a car schampoo or mild washing-up
liquid may be added to the water, which
may be warm but not hot. Even the under-
body should be washed regularly and spe-
cial attention should be given to the wheel
housings. This is particularly necessary
when automatic car washes are used as
these do not generally include washing of
the underbody. Never wash the car in
strong sunlight, and always wipe it dry with
a clean chamois leather if streaks on the
paintwork are to be avoided. Windows are
best cleaned with a chamois leather or soft
linen cloth moistened in water.
Petroleum solvents should not be used to
clean tar from the front and rear light clus-
ter lenses, since they may cause cracking of
the lenses.
Cars with fixed mast antenna: remove the
mast by unscrewing it from the base before
entering an automatic car wash.
Polishing/waxing
The general rule is that synthetic enamel
should not be polished until it is absolutely
necessary. In any event, it should not be
polished until it has aged properly, which
takes five or six months. Most polishes or
cleaner waxes contain abrasives which
clean off the outer layer of old paint finis-
hes. Never use a polish containing abrasive
substances on a new car. Instead use a high
quality wax to protect the finish. The paint-
work must be thoroughly washed before
being polished or waxed as otherwise it
may by scratched.
Engine compartment cleaning
The engine compartment should be clea-
ned with an engine detergent and then
hosed with hot water. Cover the distributor
and brake master cylinder reservoir and air
inlet opening before washing the engine.
NOTE! If you use a high-pressure hose,
cover the distributor, alternator, starter
motor, voltage regulator, and brake mas-
ter cylinder reservoir and air inlet.
Care of carpets
Textile carpets should be cleaned with a
brush or sponge using carpet shampoo and
then rinsed thoroughly with water. Stub-
born grease or oil stains can be removed
with a commercial solvent formulated for
this purpose. Should the trunk carpet
become soiled or stained it may be more
easily cleaned if removed from the car. The
carpet is fastened to two plywood panels
that make up the forward floor section and
the tool compartment cover. To remove, tilt
up the tool compartment cover, disconnect
the two rubber hinges from their button-
like fasteners and remove the cover from
the car. Grasp the forward floor section
with both hands and pull straight back to
disengage the retaining clips. Lift floor out
oftrunk.
Seat belts
Clean the seat belts with mild soap and
lukewarm water.
Care of velour upholstery
The fabric upholstery may be effectively
cleaned with a cloth moistened in soap
solution. Use lukewarm water. Grease and
oil stains can be removed with a commer-
cial solvent formulated for this purpose.
Wet stains such as oil or softdrinks should
be dried up immediately with an absorbing
paper or similar material. Then apply a
stain remover. Plastic surfaces can be easily
cleaned with lukewarm water and a synth-
etic detergent. A semistiff brush may be
used.
Care ofleather upholstery
The finish of the leather upholstery is de-
signed to enhance as well as protect the
natural beauty of the grain of the hide.
Especially in lighter colors, the surface of
the leather will discolor from handling and
atmospheric dust. While this does not affect
its wearing qualities, and, in fact a "well-
worn" patina is often a desirable feature of
leather, too dirty a surface will detract from
the quality appearance.