Tips to Help Keep Your Car Looking Tip Top; Technology Advances, Basic Maintenance Help Cars Last Longer, Look Better

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Oct. 1, 2002; "Neither snow, nor sleet, nor dark of night ... " Your car should have it as easy as the postal carrier. Add salt, searing heat, subzero temperatures -- now you're beginning to feel your car's pain. At its Coatings Research Center here, BASF recreates extreme conditions in order to test, and ultimately improve, how your vehicle's paint withstands the tests of time. Paint panels endure endless baths of corrosives, temperature fluctuations ranging from 22 degrees below zero to 194 degrees Fahrenheit, and a barrage of pebble-like missiles to test chip resistance.

"We use the laboratory to recreate and to accelerate the extreme conditions that vehicles can experience. We can simulate several years of adverse environmental conditions in a matter of weeks. By doing this, we develop improvements more quickly," said Joseph P. Gdowski, Global Technical Director, Coatings, BASF Corporation. BASF is a leading chemical company whose products include coatings for new cars and for body shops.

Gdowski noted that undercoatings, paints and clearcoats all have been dramatically enhanced in recent years. These enhancements have very nearly made rust a thing of the past. But keeping your car's finish looking like it just pulled off the lot can still be helped by basic maintenance.

The clearcoats that constitute the top coat of a car's finish are somewhat like the plastic lenses in glasses. While clearcoats have been significantly enhanced over the years, they can still be scratched and the polymer film that makes up the clearcoat can be damaged by bird droppings, tree sap and acid rain, for example.

Here are BASF's top tips to keep your vehicle's finish looking like new. * If location, location, location is the mantra of real estate, then wash it, wash it, wash it is the mantra of keeping paint looking new longer. * Do not wipe a dirty or dusty car with a dry rag, and don't wash the car with a stiff bristle brush. Hand washing is best. Brushless car washes are good too. Even traditional car washes with brushes are preferable to not washing. * No matter which method you choose, wipe off all water spots with a soft cloth or chamois after washing your car. * Do not park under trees in order to avoid tree sap and bird droppings. * Avoid driving on gravel roads whenever possible. Also be careful about following other cars or trucks too closely. It's not only a safety hazard, but small stones could chip your paint. * Avoid scraping ice or snow from painted surfaces; remove snow with a soft brush designed for that purpose. * Immediately wipe off spills of antifreeze, washer fluid or gasoline.