Three Tips For Caring For Your Car's Paint
Caring for a car's exterior is an important task for any car owner. However, the paint of your vehicle can suffer a number of damages that can compromise its appearance as well as the protection that it offers the metal underneath. To help you minimize the risks to your vehicle's paint, you should make sure to use the following auto paint care tips.
Remove Sap As Soon As Possible
Tree sap can gather on your car's exterior due to it dripping off tree branches. Unfortunately, some drivers will fail to appreciate the danger that this substance can pose to their automobile's paint. If the sap is allowed to remain on the car paint, it can weaken the paint, which can cause it to start peeling. Also, the paint may become permanently discolored, which may require the car to be completely repainted to correct. While it may seem as though cleaning this sap will be exceedingly difficult, it will likely be fairly easy to remove if you apply an automotive degreaser to the sap. This substance will help to dissolve the sap without harming the paint. While these degreasers can be somewhat expensive, saving your car from needing to be repainted be can be more than worth this expense.
Keep The Car Waxed
Waxing your car can help to give it a beautiful shine, but it can also offer important protection for the paint. The layer of wax will form a waterproof boundary that will help to prevent corrosion from affecting the vehicle. It will also help to protect the paint from minor scuffs and scratches. However, it is critical for you to apply a new layer of wax twice a year to help ensure that it is offering your car the most protection possible.
Avoid Neglecting Repairing Scratches
Eventually, your car may suffer a serious scratch. While this can be an unsightly problem, it can quickly worsen if you fail to patch the scratch. A severe scratch can allow moisture to seep under the paint, which could cause the metal to start to corrode. Fortunately, most major auto supply stores sell paint repair kits that will allow you to easily repair the cosmetic and maintenance issues that scratched paint can cause. To use these kits, you will need to thoroughly clean the scratch to prevent dust or other contaminants from interfering with the resin bonding to the car's exterior. Once the exterior has been cleaned, you can apply the repair resin. Before washing or waxing the car, you will want to give the patched scratch at least a full day to dry and cure.
If your car has multiple scratches or peeling paint that is beyond your repair abilities, take it to a local auto body repair shop like Steven & Francine's Complete Automotive Repair Inc to get it back in good condition. You may even be able to prevent needing more expensive repairs down the road by taking care of any issues as soon as they appear.