Saab 2007 owner manual Waxing and polishing, Touching up the paint

242 Car care and technical information

Waxing and polishing

Other than in exceptional cases, do not use abrasive polishes containing a cutting agent on a new car. Always wash the car thor- oughly before waxing or polishing.

Engine compartment

Clean the engine compartment using an engine detergent and rinse with hot water. Cover the headlights. Do not use high-pres- sure washer. Avoid spraying the hood liner, as this can become heavy and hang down and touch the engine when the hood is closed.

Do not use gasoline as a cleaning agent or solvent when carrying out repairs or mainte- nance. Saab recommends the use of envi- ronmentally safe degreasing agents.

Touching up the paint

Damaged paintwork should be treated as soon as it is discovered: the longer it is left, the greater the risk of corrosion. The anti-perforation warranty does not cover corrosion resulting from untreated defects.

Paintwork damage sustained in a crash is usually extensive and can only be properly restored by professionals.

However, you can repair small scratches and stone-chip damage yourself. The nec- essary tools and materials, such as primer, touch-up paint and brushes, are available from your Saab dealer.

In the case of minor flaws in the paintwork, where the metal has not been exposed and an undamaged layer of paint remains, touch-up paint can usually be applied directly, after any dirt has been scraped away using a pointed knife.

If corrosion has already set in, e.g. as a result of stone-chip damage, use a pointed knife to scrape off all surface rust. If possi- ble, the damaged area should be taken back to the bare metal. The metal should then be primed with two thin coats of primer applied by brush.

After the primer has dried, apply several thin layers of topcoat enamel until the surface of the repaired area is flush with the surround- ing paintwork.

Stir both primer and touch-up enamel thor- oughly before use and allow each coat to dry before applying the next.