When you buy a car it's natural that you want it to stay new and shiny. So here is a very simple article highlighting risks to your car’s paintwork and solutions on how to protect it.
- UV Light
UV light is the main source of paint degradation and fading. Oxidation is produced by the combination of heat and oxygen, the ‘heat’ part is derived from UV rays. As the UV light continually hits the clear coat, it slowly penetrates the coating and begins to heat the paint. This introduces oxygen to the under-layer of paint, and as heat is absorbed by the metal, fading occurs.
- Animal Waste
Animal waste, such as bug guts and bird sh*t are highly acidic, meaning it will slowly begin to eat away at your car’s paintwork. Bird poo in particular has high levels of acid, which can cause damage within a few hours especially when combined with UV rays.
- Salt
Sodium chloride (otherwise known as salt) is great for making food taste better – but it causes havoc on automotive paint and metal. In short, the salt starts to eat away at the paint and will eventually result in the car developing rust.
- Pollution, global warming, acid rain, coronavirus, and Godzilla
None of the above is going to be good for your car and all for different reasons. Here at Whip-It, we don’t think this point needs too much explaining. But if 2020 has taught us anything it’s that we don’t know what’s coming next or what’s around the corner!
How To Prevent Paint Fade
1. One very simple thing you can do to prevent paint fade due to UV rays is to park your vehicle in the shade as often as possible, this is a free and easy way to prevent accelerated paint fade (although beware of tree sap!).
2. Another very simple way is to get a car cover and cover over your vehicle, however, this option can be a bit of a hassle.
3. The next thing you can do is to routinely wash your car. When your car is exposed to the above issues, the paint’s protective layer will slowly be eaten away exposing the paint itself to air. So, get that wash booked sooner rather than later!
4. Last but by no means least, get a wax. Good car wax will add a layer of protection to your car’s paint job. Wax provides excellent additional protection by filling in tiny imperfections and smoothing paint.
Hopefully, you have found this article both useful and informative! Any points you think I have missed let me know or if you want to book in a mobile valet drop me a message or call our office line: 0333 444 9447
