Kiwi summers are always something to look forward to, with our ever-popular barbecues, beaches, and unspoilt great outdoors. However, we need to be just as wary about the effects of the heat and the sun’s harsh UV rays on our cars as on our skin.
UV rays can oxidise and cause our car’s paint to fade, making it appear older. The rays can also penetrate through window glass and fade the dashboard and seats. Plastics and rubbers can also become misshapen, faded, and brittle over time with prolonged exposure to the sun.
Don’t worry unnecessarily though – here are five tips to protect your car from harmful rays and keep it in top condition for longer.
1. Find a shady spot to park your car
The best place to park your car is in the shade. Due to our thinner ozone layer and cleaner air, New Zealand has some of the harshest sun’s rays in the world. That’s why it’s so important to keep your vehicle out of the sun as much as possible. Leaving your vehicle in direct sunlight for extended periods can crack and fade its exterior and dashboard.
Keeping your car cool in the shade will also make your car’s interior temperature more bearable when you get into it. If you must park in direct sun, open your car windows a crack – this will help lower the interior temperature and equalise the air pressure. If you can’t park your car in a shaded area, use a windshield sun protector instead.
2. Slap on the car sunscreen
Car wax is the equivalent of your car’s sunscreen. It adds a protective barrier to the paint, while most brands also provide a great shine too. Your car wax bottle won’t have an SPF number on it, but the protection factor is similar across all brands.
However, it’s important to remember that paint protection doesn’t last forever, and the damaging UV rays will penetrate through the barrier after a while. Two or three coats applied to your car across the summer months is a cheaper investment than having to pay for repairs after the sun has damaged your car’s bodywork.
PS. If you’re putting sunscreen on yourself, make sure your hands are clean of all product before touching your car, as human sunscreen can damage the paintwork!
3. Wash your car more often in summer
You should also wash your car more often in summer using automotive wash, rather than washing liquid. UV rays and heat can fade and crack your car’s paint over time, so washing it more frequently helps remove dirt and dust particles that can cause micro scratches and dull your car’s paint finish.
4. Check your car’s tyre pressure
Driving with underinflated tyres on hot roads is a dangerous combination that could lead to a blowout. At the very least, it will shorten the lifespan of your car tyres. Make sure you check your car’s tyre pressure more often in summer to minimise the risk of this happening.
5. Look after your car’s interior
If you can’t park your car in a shaded area, use a windshield sun protector. It will keep your car cool and prevent the sun from damaging your dashboard. When cleaning your car, use a microfibre cloth to wipe your dash to remove all particles, including dust.
If you have leather or fabric seats, consider installing seat covers to protect them. Take extra care with leather seats, in particular, as they can crack or tear. Keep them clean and apply a leather conditioner regularly.
What to do if your car is already sunburned
If your car already has sun damage, there are some options you can try. If the damage is still in the early stages, use a clay bar to clean the outermost layer of your vehicle. You can buy these from most automotive part suppliers, and they can be used on most vehicle surfaces, including glass and mirrors.
Clay bars are made of a special resin that pulls contaminants from your car’s outer coating and prepares your paintwork for polishing. Car detailing professionals use a clay bar when they fix paintwork or apply a new layer of wax to a car’s bodywork.
If this doesn’t work, buy a rubbing compound from your car parts supplier. This does a light cut and polish, then buffs the paintwork. Use a small amount of compound and apply it to a small area at a time. Follow this with a buffing by hand, then apply wax and buff again.
Extreme cases of sun damage will require sanding off of the damaged coat of paint, followed by prep work and respraying with a new undercoat and a clear top coat. It’s best to leave this to the professionals, unless you have previous experience.