In a perfect world, every vehicle owner has their own garage to park their cars and trucks. All automobiles will stay protected from the sun, hails, storms, and other external elements contributing to subsequent wear and tear.
Sadly, not all car owners have the luxury to have a garage to protect their vehicles from different weather conditions all year round. In this world where not all drivers have access to garages and parking lots, they leave their vehicles to brave the outdoor threats alone. Without a garage, some resort to car wrapping to add protection and personality to their cars.
Our vehicles are prone to exterior damages, especially if you don’t have a garage or drive it often. The environment, particularly inclement weather conditions, is damaging to vehicles when exposed for prolonged periods.
Proper automobile protection combined with quality products is the perfect recipe for protecting your car from the sun, bad weather, and other external threats. After all, your car is one of your greatest assets, and going through lengths to protect it can prolong its lifespan. While there’s no way to escape all external elements altogether, here are ways to minimize the damages to your car’s exterior regardless of the season.
Extreme heat
Placing the car directly under the sun for long periods can take a serious toll on the car’s exterior and interior components. Apart from ruining the car paint, your car’s interior receives the most damage from the sun since it causes the plastic dashboard and leather upholstery to melt, bleach, fade, and crack. This will cause the car to experience immediate wear and tear ahead of its time.
The best way to avoid the sun’s harmful UV rays is to park the car in any shaded area. If there’s no available shade around, use a durable car cover to protect the car from the heat, dirt, dust, and other outdoor threats. You can also get a solar panel and windshield sunshade cover to reduce the heat coming inside the car. This will protect the dashboard, upholstery, and steering wheels from the sunlight and heat during hot weather.
Another technique is to use commercial maintenance products, such as interior conditioners, to protect the car interior from fading or cracking under the sun. Also, make sure to wash the car regularly and apply quality car wax and paint protection film for protection and added personality.
Lastly, check the car’s cooling system and perform regular maintenance to prevent potential issues. Inspect the belts and coolant and change them when needed.
Extreme cold
Extreme cold conditions can also take a significant toll on your car when left exposed. It takes in the form of rain, snow, storms, blizzards, and hail damage. But among these, hail causes the most damage to a vehicle. In fact, hail damage is one of the most common insurance claims, accounting for over 70% of insured property losses.
Storing the car in the garage is the best way to protect it from hail, but if this isn’t an option, have a steel carport ready. This is a great investment, and you can easily set it up within five minutes. If you can’t afford a car shelter or carport, your next best option is a car cover. They come in different features and types but choose one that will give adequate protection. Another way is to open all windows, drape thick blankets on the door, and shut the fabric inside.
In the event of extreme blizzards, place towels over the windshield to save you the effort of scraping all the snow and ice that accumulated overnight. Also, don’t forget to check the tire pressure before a blizzard. Tire pressure decreases during cold weather, which is very dangerous for the car and personal safety. Fill the tires as soon as the pressure dips low.
Tree sap and bird poop
While parking under a tree provides that much-need shade against the sun, it also harms your car from tree sap, falling bugs and acorns, and droppings from animals that congregate around the area.
Remove tree sap and dried bug using a microfiber cloth with rubbing alcohol and rub the stain lightly. For the bird poop, use a wet towel and car wax to wipe it away or blue shop paper towels and one bottle of auto detailer. If the stain won’t budge, use a decent amount of elbow grease, but don’t overdo it since it causes damage to the vehicle’s clear coat. To prevent these stains altogether, a car cover is your best friend.
Your car is your biggest asset, so it makes sense to make extra effort for its upkeep. Keeping it in great shape will retain its quality and avoid regular visits to the mechanic. So keep these tips in mind and enjoy a safe and smooth trip on the road.
