Although summer is coming to a close, in the South, the summer heat and sun often continues to linger through the fall until late October. Specialists say that the sun is your car’s worst enemy, both for your interior and exterior. Earlier this summer, we gave you some tips on overall automotive care during the summer months, but now we’re going to focus on how to protect your car’s exterior from the sun.
Wash Your Car Regularly
When the summer heat mixes with dirt, pollen and other pollutants, the chemicals of the contaminants caked onto your car can do a lot of damage to your paint. Bug splatters, in particular, can become etched into the paint of your car if not cleaned regularly. When love bug season comes around, don’t forget to stop by the wash!
Use Protective Wax
Over time, ultraviolet rays will begin to break down your car’s paint, causing it to fade or crack. Most modern car waxes contain ingredients that provide some measure of protection against those harmful UV rays. Both the Xpress Everything and the Xpress Platinum Wash packages here at Xpress Car Wash come with a hot wax during the wash to help protect against the sun’s harmful rays. The Xpress Platinum Wash also comes with a Slip Stream protective wax, further adding to the UV Ray Protection.
Hand-Dry Your Vehicle
After a rain, a quick hose-down in the driveway or even an automated car wash like at Xpress Car Wash, it’s best to hand-dry your vehicle afterward. If left to air-dry in the sun, your vehicle’s paint may be vulnerable to spot damage from the mixture of heat and the minerals in the water left on your car.
Park In the Shade
Reduce the amount of direct sunlight on your vehicle by parking in the shade during the day. It’s always good to reduce the amount of time your vehicle is exposed to the natural elements, but it’s particularly good to avoid direct exposure to sunlight during the summer. Find a parking garage, carport or even a tree to help shield your vehicle from the sun’s rays.