Caring for Your Paintwork

The first 30 days after a respray

Modern oven-baked paint leaves our workshop hard and durable, but full chemical cure continues for a few weeks. For the first month:

• Hand wash only — no automatic car washes, and no pressure-washing up close to fresh edges.
• No wax, sealant or polish for 30 days — the paint needs to breathe as it cures.
• Remove bird lime, sap and fuel spills immediately — they etch fresh paint fastest.
• Avoid car covers on freshly painted panels.

Washing without wrecking

Most swirl marks come from washing, not driving. The habits that keep paint flawless:

• Use two buckets (wash and rinse) with a quality shampoo and a soft microfibre mitt.
• Rinse loose grit off the car before anything touches it.
• Avoid automatic brush washes — they are the single biggest cause of swirled paint.
• Dry with a clean microfibre towel, never a chamois full of yesterday's grit.

Protecting the finish

Once cured, protection pays for itself: a good wax every three months, a polymer sealant once or twice a year, or a professional ceramic coating for years of protection and easier washing. If we've corrected or resprayed your paint, ask us about ceramic protection while it's perfect.

Small damage — act early

Stone chips through to metal will rust; kerbed alloys corrode; clouding headlights get worse. Small problems are cheap to fix and expensive to ignore — send us a photo when you spot something and we'll tell you honestly whether it needs attention now or can wait.

Questions about your car's finish? Call 01932 988 161 — advice costs nothing.