2020 LEXUS RC F Owners Manual

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Matte Paint Care Guide
NOTICE:
Explains something that, if not obeyed, could cause damage to the matte
clear coat of your vehicle.
Indicates operations or procedures. Follow the steps in numerical
order.
Means “Do not”, “Do not do this”,
or “Do not let this happen”.
Reading this manual

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Matte Paint Care Guide
Illustrations in this manual are simplified for explanation and may not represent
the actual vehicle.
Top coat (clear): A transparent coating which protects the lower layers of
paint. Some clear coats enhance the appearance through improved color
depth or gloss.
Top coat (base): Paint which gives the vehicle body its color.
Intermediate coat: Enhances the top coat finish and durability.
Primer: Enhances the rust resistance of steel parts of the vehicle body. Primer
is also applied to the inner side of vehicle body and structural components.
Basic knowledge about matte clear coat
The body of a vehicle is painted with layers of several different coatings to
enhance its durability and appearance. The top layer is called a clear coat.
Unlike a normal clear coat, which enhances the glossy appearance of the
base paint, matte clear coat gives the base paint a non-glossy finish with a
unique texture.
In order to ensure the longevity of the matte clear coat and its texture, special
care must be taken when cleaning and storing the vehicle.
Basic paint structure
1
2
3
4

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Matte Paint Care Guide
Illustrations in this manual are simplified for explanation and may not represent
the actual vehicle.
Glossiness of a surface is seen by the human eyes by a difference in the amount
of light that reflects off the surface.
A surface painted with normal clear coat is flat and smooth. As the amount of
light that reflects off the surface is large, the vehicle body will appear glossy.
A surface painted with a matte clear coat is slightly uneven due to the added
matting agent. As the light shining on an uneven surface is diffused significantly,
the amount of light reflected is small, making the vehicle body look not glossy,
with a unique texture.
Difference between general clear coat and matte clear coat
Cross sectionEnlarged surface
Normal clear
coat
Matte clear
coat
Light
Clear
Base
Light
Clear
Clear
Matting
agent

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Matte Paint Care Guide
If the painted surfaces of the vehicle are dirty, wash the vehicle immediately.
(Washing your vehicle P. 32)
Due to the slight unevenness, matte
clear coat surfaces are more likely to
trap dirt and other foreign matter com-
pared to normal clear coat surfaces.
If dirt or foreign matter is left on the
vehicle, it may settle into the textured
surface of the matte clear coat, making
it more difficult to remove. Additionally,
as the surface of the matte clear coat
will become more flat when dirty, the
vehicle body will start to look glossy,
ruining the textured finish.
Therefore, make sure to clean the vehi-
cle regularly and not allow dirt to
remain on the vehicle for extended
periods of time.
If dirt or foreign matter is allowed to settle and cannot be cleaned off with normal
washing, it will be necessary to remove the dirt with the upper layer of the tex-
tured finish and then to repaint the entire part.
Ask your Lexus dealer for details.
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle exterior
Dirt

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Matte Paint Care Guide
■Materials that may become difficult to remove
The following are likely to settle into the vehicle body and should be cleaned off immedi-
ately.
●Rain water, sea water, and other liquids that may cause water stains
●Sand, pollen, volcanic ash, and other particulate matter
●Dead insects, bird droppings, etc.
●Sap, leaves, flowers, etc.
●Mud, snow, anti-freezing agents, and other road debris
●Gasoline, engine oil, asphalt, and other oily materials
■Do not wax or apply a coating to the vehicle
Do not wax the vehicle or apply a coating to the
vehicle body, as they will form a film over the
painted surfaces, filling the matte clear coat sur-
face, making it more flat. As a result, it will
become more glossy, possibly permanently los-
ing its matte properties.

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Matte Paint Care Guide
Take care in order to not damage the painted surfaces.
When minor damage occurs to a vehicle with a normal clear coat, it can be
repaired by polishing it or using touch up paint. In contrast, a matte clear coat
cannot be repaired using these methods.
If these methods are used the unevenness of the matte clear coat may be
removed or filled in. In either case, the surface will become more flat, making it
appear more glossy, possibly permanently losing its matte properties.
In order to maintain the matte finish when repairing damage, it will be necessary
to repaint the entire part.
Repair of paint damage

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Matte Paint Care Guide
●Vehicle paint can be deteriorated by
ultraviolet rays, rain, and other natu-
ral factors. In order to ensure the life
of the paint, it is recommended that
the vehicle be stored in a paved
garage which blocks the paint from
direct sunlight, rain, wind, and
ground moisture.
●If a vehicle cover is to be used, use
one with an inner side which is
fleece, non-woven, etc. as it is less
likely to damage the paint. Even
when using a vehicle cover, storing
the vehicle in a paved garage is rec-
ommended.
■Using a vehicle cover
●Use an appropriately sized vehicle cover for your vehicle. For details, contact the man-
ufacturer of the vehicle cover.
●Use a vehicle cover suitable for the environment the vehicle is to be stored. For details,
contact the manufacturer of the vehicle cover.
●Proper use a vehicle cover depends on the weather and vehicle condition. If a vehicle
cover is used improperly, it may damage the vehicle's paint or body. Follow the instruc-
tions included with the vehicle cover and use it properly.
Daily vehicle storage

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Matte Paint Care Guide
Apply a large amount of water to the
vehicle body from the top to the bot-
tom to remove sand and dust.
If the tires or chassis parts are exces-
sively dirty, make sure to wash them first,
otherwise dirt be sprayed onto the
washed vehicle body.
If dirt is not easily washed off, bring the
hose or sprayer nozzle closer to the
vehicle body to slightly increase the
water pressure.
Using a soft chamois cloth, wipe the
vehicle body gently while applying
plenty of water.
Wipe the vehicle body from top to bot-
tom.
If dirt persists (
P. 33)
Using another soft chamois cloth,
dry the vehicle while taking care to
not rub the vehicle body.
Make sure to remove any standing
water before it evaporates.
Do not use the same chamois cloth that
was used to wash the vehicle (step [2]).
Washing your vehicle
In order to avoid damage to the vehicle's paint, washing the vehicle by hand
with only water is recommended.
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2
3