Buying your first car is an experience like no other. While the whole process is time-consuming, the result is that you get to go home in your dream car. Like any other car owner, you'll do everything to protect the condition of your vehicle.
That includes storing the car in your garage, washing it, and even investing in paint protection films. A vehicle depreciates by 15% to 20% every year. Car owners with new cars will cost $1200 per year to maintain and repair the vehicle.
Since 2005, the cost of bodywork rose by more than 40%, and this trend looks like it will continue. Luckily for you, these tips can save you money when it comes to car paint protection.
Spring
Spring is a beautiful time when the sun is warm and refreshing. The season brings colorful flowers and clear skies, but it also brings some car paint damaging forces.
One of those forces is bird droppings. In spring, our flying friends are very active. As such, they will bombard your car with their droppings. Their droppings contain uric acid, which eats through the clear coat finish of your vehicle.
Park your car in your garage or covered parking spades to prevent this. Avoid parking under trees. Next, wash off the droppings as soon as possible. Besides bird droppings, tree sap tends to land on cars parked underneath trees.
To get rid of this, clean the affected area by spraying alcohol. Then wipe it off using a clean microfiber cloth. If you've to park under direct sunlight or underneath trees, use a car cover.
Summer
In summer, cars are usually exposed to the hot sun. This can lead to premature rusting and fading. During this season, your vehicle is also exposed to more grime and grit, which can cause damage to your car's paint.
Lucky for you, there are some precautions you can take to protect your car's paint. First, park your car in a garage or covered parking space. In doing so, you avoid the sun's harmful effects. It's very common knowledge that exposing yourself to the sun's UV rays damages your skin.
Well, these powerful rays also fade and oxidize your car paint. This makes your car look old and worn with time. Remember, avoid parking under trees. Second, wash your car often with a hose, then wax it. This will maintain the integrity of your car paint.
Fall
Fall brings beautiful orange, red and yellow leaves. While the leaves are great to look at, they damage your car paint when they land on your car and are left ignored. Leaves secrete a wax-like substance that is somewhat acidic.
The acidic substance joins forces with moisture and tree sap forming a little leaf-shaped pattern on your car's clear coat. Water increases the potency of the leaf acidity and accelerates the corrosion process. It also allows the leaves to stick to surfaces for prolonged periods.
To fully protect your car from leaves, park in your garage, covered parking space, or purchase a car cover. While driving along, leaves may fall on your vehicle. Once you reach your destination, remove them ASAP.
We recommend removing them by hand instead of using a leaf blower. This is because the action of blowing the leaves will create lots of leaf shrapnel scratching your car paint.
Winter
The cold months of winter are harsh for everyone but much more rigid on cars. Snow, ice, and blizzards present challenges. First, extreme cold causes chipping, cracking, bubbling, and even peeling of car paint. Several minor dents will appear all over your vehicle during hail storms and blizzards, especially if you park your car in the open.
Second, another issue that affects car owners in winter is condensation. This happens when you park your car in a warm garage. Due to the transfer from freezing to warm temperatures, a warm layer of condensation will form on the surface of your vehicle. If your car has a poor or old paint job, the condensation can cause warping and corrosion.
The best defense is keeping your car clean. Yes, it's sometimes impossible to wash your car regularly in winter. But we recommend cleaning your car at least once a week. Don'tt forget to cover it with a tarp.
Final Words
To protect your car all year round, wash and wax it with high-quality wax. A thorough wash will remove the dirt and grime, while waxing will protect the paint on your car. Lastly, visit our body shop, and we will repaint your vehicle. Having your car repainted will add to its resale value. By investing in repainting, you provide a protective coating to protect your vehicle from rust, corrosion, and possible harm to the car parts. Whether for resale or your collection, we encourage repainting older vehicles.