Care Tips for your car

Auto Masters LLC

If your vehicle has just been painted, it’s important to keep the following tips in mind:
For the first 30 days wash your vehicle with care:

• Our Elite Complete package includes interior shampoo.
• If using a commercial car wash be sure to use the touchless type, the brush type will damage finish on your vehicle.
• If hand washing use a soft sponge or a soft washcloth. Hard bristles and abrasive cleaners can easily damage your paint. Use a chamois or soft cotton cloth to dry your vehicle.

Driving and parking pose hidden dangers to your vehicle:

• Our Elite Complete package includes interior shampoo.
• Gravel roads are very tough on paint. The finish on your vehicle can easily be chipped on a gravel road, especially if the vehicle has been recently painted.
• Parking under trees will keep your vehicle cool, but it also attracts bird droppings, which are highly acidic. Bird droppings easily damage a newly painted vehicle.

Here are some more tips to keep your car in tip-top shape!

Lighten Your Load (Your Keychain, That Is)

• When your keychain is heavy, it can wear out the tumblers inside the ignition and eventually lead to ignition switch failure. Avoid this by keeping your ignition key separate from the others, and only the essential keys on the keyring.
• You'll know you're in for trouble if your ignition "sticks" when you try to turn on the car. Replace it before you get stranded- call us to schedule an appointment.

Take Care During Long Term Storage

If you plan on storing your vehicle for a long period of time, following these steps will help keep it in better shape for the duration.

• Fill the gas tank so condensation doesn't accumulate in the tank. (Adding a fuel stabilizer never hurts, either.)
• Wash and wax it before storing to protect the finish. 
• Put a vapor barrier (drop cloth) on the garage floor. 
• Place the car on a jack to relieve the weight on the wheels and tires. 
• Disconnect and remove the battery so it doesn't drain during storage. 
• Plug the tailpipe with a rag so moist air doesn't get in. 

Park in the Shade

• If possible, park in a garage.
• If you can't park in a garage, you'll want to minimize the UV exposure to the vehicle. You can either park in the shade, or use a car shade to protect the interior of the car.

Protect the Interior

• Keep the interior out of direct sunlight for long periods of time. 
• Clean leather with leather cleaner.
• Let floor mats take the beating during harsh weather conditions (winter!).
• Use upholstery cleaner to get stubborn stains up.