by For anyone who lives near the coast, or severe heat temperatures, you may be aware of the climate effects on your car’s paintwork.
Although we like to think that we do take ‘some’ degree of care, do you really know how to protect your car paint?
The Car Guy says car paintwork has come a long way since the invention of the motor vehicle. But, there are still enemies to the paintwork of your car, and it mostly involves where you park it.
Whatsapp 076 888 4931.
5 Enemies Of Your Car’s Paintwork
1. The Sun
It’s not only your skin that needs protection from UVA rays. When temperatures soar, the car paint will expand and absorb more dirt and moisture.
2. Bird Droppings
The nasty little ‘gifts’ left on your car have high levels of lime which, when removed, can cause the paintwork to look dull and blemished.
“It’s a great shame when an otherwise fabulous-looking car is blighted with a tell-tale patch of dull paint,” said Paul Caller, CEO of British car care and valeting products manufacturer, Autoglym.
3. Sap From Trees
If you live in a particularly ‘sappy’ area – that is, tree sap of course – you may be prone to the odd splodge or two. Especially if you are trying to park under the shade of said tree.
Not only is sap a magnet for other particles of dirt, dust, and grime, if your car is out in the hot baking sun, the tree sap will soak into the ‘pores’ of the paintwork, leaving stains in its wake. It is thus important to remove tree sap as soon as it is detected.
Beware, some trees drop small, mist-like droplets on your car’s paint, which is not always easily detectible.
4. Salt Air
The combination of UV rays and salt air can be deadly to the car’s finish. Again, it is due to hot sun expanded the pores of the paintwork, which results in greater absorption of the salty moisture leading, ultimately, to corrosion. Living near a coast can destroy a car’s finish.
But, I live by the seaside? How do I avoid corrosion? Avoid the onset of corrosion by investing in a car cover, or park in a garage at all times, if possible. You also need to wash and wax your car regularly to get rid of salty buildup.
5. Airborne Contamination
Some metros have better quality than others. If your immediate area has a lot of construction, small manufacturing operations, or even chimneys, this will greatly increase the amount of floating elements in the air, which threatens your car’s paintwork.
Avoid by parking in a garage at all times or by making use of a car cover, or both.
CLICK BELOW to compare car insurance quotes and stand to save up to 30% on your monthly premium!
3 Ways To Protect Your Car’s Paintwork
Your car paintwork ‘friends’ include:
1. Regular Car Wash And Waxing
Think of car wax as the ‘sunscreen’ for your car. Car wax helps clean, enhance, and prolong ‘lustre’, or that thin protective film to protect from the elements. Be warned, just like sunscreen, car wax needs regular application.
2. Clear Coat Paint Finish
Since the late 1980s, car companies used so-called clear coat paints as final “sealers” on new cars. As the term indicates, the clear paint is used as a protective film over your paintwork’s base paint layer. When applied at the factory, the clear coat paint is applied as the final step to the car’s finish to enhance paint lustre, depth, and protection from the elements.
NOTE: While you may use a clear coat paint finish to protect your car paint, it is not a substitute for wax. This is because a clear coat finish can still breathe, erode, absorb moisture, and collect dirt and stains on its surface.
3. Garages, Parking Structures, And Car Covers
Parking in a garage, or parking structure, will not only prolong your car’s paint finish, it will also mean that it is (hopefully) safe from bird droppings and sea air.
If you don’t have access to a garage, or would like to protect your car paint a step further, purchase a car cover made of either cloth or synthetic material.
