Pontiac 1998 Grand Am Owner's Manual page 288

Finish Care
Occasional waxing
or mild polishing of your vehicle by
hand may be necessary to remove residue from the paint
finish. You can get GM-approved cleaning products
from your dealer. (See "Appearance Care and Materials"
in the Index.)
Your vehicle has a "basecoatlclearcoat" paint finish. The
clearcoat gives more depth and gloss to the colored
basecoat. Always use waxes and polishes that are
non-abrasive and made for a basecoatlclearcoat
paint finish.
I
NOTICE:
Machine compounding or aggressive polishing on
a
basecoaticlearcoat paint finish may dull the
finish or leave swirl marks.
Foreign materials such as calcium chloride and other
salts, ice melting agents, road oil and tar, tree sap, bird
droppings, chemicals from industrial chimneys, etc., can
damage your vehicle's finish if they remain on painted
surfaces. Wash the vehicle as soon as -possible. If
necessary, use non-abrasive cleaners that are marked
safe for painted surfaces to remove foreign matter.
Exterior painted surfaces are subject to aging, weather
and chemical fallout that can take their toll over a period
of years. You can help to keep the paint finish looking
new by keeping your vehicle garaged or covered
whenever possible.
Cleaning Aluminum Wheels
(If Equipped)
Keep your wheels clean using a soft clean cloth with
mild soap and water. Rinse with clean water. After
rinsing thoroughly, dry with a soft clean towel.
A wax may then be applied.
The surface of these wheels is similar to the painted
surface
of
your vehicle. Don't use strong soaps,
chemicals, abrasive polishes, abrasive cleaners or
abrasive cleaning brushes on them because you could
damage
the
surface.
Don't take your vehicle through an automatic car wash
that has silicon carbide tire cleaning brushes. These
brushes can also damage
the
surface of these wheels.
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