7 Ways To Keep Your Car's Paintwork In Pristine Condition
Today's modern cars feature several layers of paint and clear coat, the protective and transparent lacquer paint layer that gets applied on top of the preceding paint layers.
Unfortunately, all those protective paint layers can become compromised due to various reasons like lack of protective cleaning, the environment, and vandalism. Fortunately, with the help of professional detailers like this company offering Dallas XPEL Paint Protection Near Me (or one closer to where you live) making it look seamless for many years to come is easy. Of course, you can give it a go yourself if you have the correct tools, self-knowledge and know-how, all of which make it incredibly easy to protect the paintwork of your car.
You're likely reading this article today because you own one or more vehicles, such as classics, and you want to keep the paintwork on them looking immaculate and as vibrant as the day those cars rolled off the production lines.
With that in mind, take a look at these powerful tips and tricks to keep your car's paintwork in pristine condition:
1. Wash And Detail Your Car Every Week
One of the most obvious things anyone can do to protect the paintwork on their vehicles is to wash them each week. It doesn't matter whether you do the work yourself or pay a detailing company like Timeless to do the hard work for you - make sure someone does it!
Part of the car wash routine should involve using products like clay bars to remove paint contaminants and polish and wax for the ultimate protection and a superior shine. Ensure you also use different cloths for various washing stages to prevent accidental damage.
2. Don’t Use Automatic Car Washes
When you have a busy schedule and notice that your car's exterior looks lackluster, you might think of using an automatic drive-through car wash. Doing so might save you a lot of time and hassle, but it'll end up causing permanent damage to your car paintwork in the long term.
Automatic car washes always contain contaminants on the brushes, and they can sometimes malfunction and cause some areas of your vehicle to get scrubbed harder than others, resulting in swirl marks and dents.
3. Park In Shaded Areas
Red is an amazing color for any vehicle. It's vibrant, eye-catching, and looks fantastic in a sea of silver and black cars. The only downside to having a red car is that it can easily become a pink vehicle!
The sad truth about red paint is that the sun's powerful ultraviolet rays can bleach out the color, resulting in a pink shade.
While it's possible to restore faded paint back to red, it makes sense to lower the risk of pink paint happening in the first place. The simple way to achieve that goal is by parking in shaded or underground areas.
4. Use A Protective Cover
If you don't drive your car every day, what do you do with it when you're not out in it? The answer is that you likely park it somewhere in or around your home.
As you can imagine, a parked car exposed to the elements can result in all kinds of paint damage - some of which may be irreversible. That's why it makes sense to invest in a car cover for your pride and joy when you're not enjoying it on the open road.
5. Park Away From Other Vehicles
You undoubtedly want to keep your car's paintwork and general body condition "as new." The trouble is, if the environment doesn't try to damage your car's paintwork, other people might do so - accidentally or otherwise.
One of the biggest causes of paint damage is when another vehicle owner opens their door on your car by mistake or perhaps accidentally brushes past your pride and joy, unknowingly depositing a large scratch down one side of it.
A brilliant way to lower the odds of that happening to your vehicle is by parking away from other cars and trucks.
6. Avoid Parking Under Trees
You might think that parking under trees is an excellent thing to do because it helps shelter your vehicle from the elements.
However, doing so can cause trouble for your car due to droppings from birds sitting on the branches or even acidic sap dropping down from the tree itself.
If you haven't got any choice but to park underneath a tree, it might be wise to place a car cover over your vehicle before you leave it.
7. Get Badly Scratched Panels Resprayed
One final point of consideration relates to badly scratched panels. There are times when no amount of polishing and waxing, even with a professional DA (dual-action) polishing machine, can buff out deep scratches.
In those situations, the only thing you can do is have that body panel resprayed by a reputable body shop. If you don't have that work carried out, the chances are high that the body panel in question may begin to rust due to minimal paint protection.