Lancia Ypsilon Owner's Handbook Manual page 185

ADVICE FOR PRESERVING THE
BODYWORK
Paint
Paintwork does not only serve an
aestethic purpose, but also protects
the underlying sheet metal.
In the case of deep scrapes or scores,
you are advised to have the necessary
touching up carried out immediately
to avoid the formation of rust. Use
only original paint products for touch-
ing up (see "Bodywork paint identifi-
cation plate" in "Technical specifica-
tion" section). Normal paint mainte-
nance consists in washing at intervals
depending on the conditions and en-
vironment of use. For example, in
highly polluted areas, or if the roads
are sprayed with salt, it is wise to
wash the car more frequently.
184
To correctly wash the car:
❒ remove the aerial from the roof to
prevent damage to it if the car is
washed in an automatic system;
❒ wash the body using a low pressure
jet of water;
❒ wipe a sponge with a slightly soapy
solution over the bodywork, fre-
quently rinsing with the sponge;
❒ rinse well with water and dry with
a jet of air or a chamois leather.
When drying, take particular care
with the less visible parts like door
surrounds, bonnet and around the
headlights where water may stagnate.
The car should not be taken to a
closed area immediately, but left in
the open so that residual water can
evaporate. Do not wash the car after
it has been left in the sun or with the
bonnet hot: this may alter the shine of
the paintwork. Exterior plastic parts
must be cleaned in the same way as
the rest of the vehicle. Where possi-
ble, do not park under trees; the
resinous substance many species re-
lease give the paint a dull appearance
and increase the possibility of trigger-
ing rust processes.
IMPORTANT Bird droppings must be
washed off immediately and thor-
oughly as the acid they contain is par-
ticularly aggressive.
Detergents cause water pol-
lution. Therefore the engine
compartment should be
washed in areas equipped
for collecting and purifying the liq-
uid used in the washing process.
To keep intact the aesthetic
properties of the paintwork
do not use abrasive and/or
polish products for cleaning
the car bodywork.