We have all seen how some cars have been neglected, with years and years of bird droppings and other debris well established onto the car’s paintwork. It doesn’t have to be this way, and perhaps to a large extent, this depends on the owner’s attitude towards maintaining the car’s paintwork.
Like anything in life, what you put into it is what you get out of it. If you would like to have a car that looks almost brand-new on a continual basis, then you will have to take care regularly.
REGULARLY WASH YOUR CAR
As you know, dust, rust, bird droppings and debris from trees all work together to make your car as dirty as possible. Hence, the need to wash your car at least once a month. It’s all about timing – the longer you leave your car dirty, the more difficult it becomes to clean. Don’t forget to wash the parts under the car, especially where the bumpers are.
BEWARE OF AUTOMATIC CAR WASHING PLACES
Be careful of visiting automatic car washing machines, as they may end up scratching your car. The problem with those circular brushes is that they are usually not cleaned, which means that hard dirt and sand particles may damage your car’s surface. Attendants who dry your car afterwards may unwittingly inflict some damage to the paintwork, as the cloths used may not necessarily be clean.
WHAT ABOUT USING HIGH PRESSURE HOSES?
High pressure hoses can cause damage if a car is quite dirty, as loose bits of debris and mud can shoot across the paintwork causing some scratching. If the water used is not clean, the attendant may end up sand-blasting your car.
HOW DO YOU REMOVE BIRD DROPPINGS?
Bird droppings are a common deposit made on a car’s paintwork. They are usually quite acid and can cause staining. That’s why you need to be constantly on the lookout for any droppings, and remove them quickly. Gently spray them with water at first, so that any loose bits can come apart. Don’t try to immediately remove the remaining droppings as they may have hardened in the sun. Removing a ‘hard’ dropping may cause scratches on the paintwork. After soaking for a while in water, droppings can be easily removed.
GIVE YOUR CAR A WAX TREATMENT EVERY 3 MONTHS
A wax coating on a car’s paintwork will repel any water that would love to start rust in some chips and scratches. Apply a good car wax to the paintwork using a soft cloth or sponge, and then buff the body surface until all the wax has been removed. Avoid applying wax to any rubber or plastic sections of your car, as they may become stained. If you do make that mistake, remove immediately using some cleaning agent.
DOES YOUR CAR STAY AT THE COAST?
If you live at the coast, then your car deserves that extra protection against humidity and the action of salt on the body. Purchase a rustproofing agent, and apply to the car’s body according to the instructions.
WHAT ABOUT THOSE ANNOYING SCRATCHES ON YOUR NEW CAR?
You have just come back from the shopping mall, only to discover that some new scratches have appeared on your car door. Perhaps this was caused by someone opening their door in a hurry, causing it to touch your door. There are some excellent products on the market for removing light scratches. Squeeze a small amount of scratch-removing paste onto a sponge and gently rub over the scratch. Buff the area with a soft cloth afterwards, and it’s amazing to see how quickly the scratch disappears.
WATCH YOUR FOLLOWING DISTANCE
Imagine debris such as little stones and sand that are kicked up by a car in front of you. Remember the speed you are travelling at – let’s say 100 km/hour? It’s the same as sitting in a parked car and have a close by, 100 km/hour, dusty wind sandblast your car. So, keep your distance and don’t tailgate.3 Don’t forget that the larger the tyres, such as those of large lorries, the larger the projectiles that could hit your car. Make sure your car is covered with affordable car insurance with a great company such as Prime Meridian Direct, to give you that piece of mind.
So, now you know what to do to make your car smile. Set a reminder to maintain that smile.
Remember this one from SA? The dangers of driving with paint in your car!! https://t.co/9rRePlr6Ib #ArriveAlive pic.twitter.com/YJCA6rJL5J
— Arrive Alive (@_ArriveAlive) September 13, 2017