Body - Volvo 164 Instruction Book

SERVICING

BODY

40 Washing
When the vehicle is new, it should be
washed as often as possible to harden the
surface finish. Dust and dirt and especially
i nsects and tar spots can damage the
paintwork. Washing and polishing are also
extremely important from the viewpoint
of rust protection. During the winter,
special care should be taken to ensure
that all road salt residue is washed off
as soon as possible, otherwise corrosion
can occur. A vehicle, the bodywork of
which has been well taken care of, has
of course a higher second-hand value,
should the owner consider selling it.
When washing the car, make sure that it
i s not exposed to direct sunlight since
this can cause drying patches. Begin by
softening up the dirt on the underside of
the body with a jet of water and use if
necessary a soft brush. Then rinse down
the whole body with a light jet until the
dirt has loosened up. After this, wash off
the dirt with a sponge using plenty of
water.` Start at the roof of the vehicle and
work down the body. Use preferably
l ukewarm but not hot water.
Sometimes washing with only water is not
sufficient. Washing agents must then be
used. Be very careful, however, when
52
choosing a washing agent, since some of
them are directly detrimental to the sur-
face finish. Asphalt splashes and tar spots
can be easily removed with white spirit
prior to washing with water.
When a washing agent is used, the car
should be well rinsed down with clean
water afterwards. Begin with the roof of
the car and work down the body. Then
dry carefully with a soft clean chamois
l eather. Use different leathers for the
windows and the remainder of the car,
otherwise using the same leather can
cause greasy smears on the windows.
When washing the car, remember to
clean the drainage holes in the doors and
bottom rail.
41 Polishing (waxing)
The vehicle does not need polishing until
the surface finish begins to lose its lustre
and normal washing is no longer sufficient
to make it shine again and remove the
l ayer of dirt on the surface. Under normal
conditions it is sufficient to polish the
vehicle a couple of times a year on condi-
tion that it is carefully looked after and
thoroughly washed as soon as it has be-
come dirty or dusty. During the winter and
i n coastal or industrial areas it may, how-
ever, be necessary to polish the vehicle
more often in order to avoid rusting.
Before the vehicle is polished, it should be
carefully washed and dried to avoid
scratches on the paintwork.
When about to apply wax, make sure that
the surface is absolutely clean before
application. Be careful when using sol-
vents, since in many cases they can
damage the surface finish. Waxing may not
be carried out until at least one year after
the vehicle has been delivered. This is to
ensure that the surface finish has been
given enough time to harden properly.