Cars undergo a lot of stress. They interact with external factors that affect their performance daily. If you wish to extend your car’s life expectancy, be wary of the outdoor elements known to damage cars the most.
UV Rays
Sun exposure is one of the harshest factors on your car’s interior and exterior. Powerful and persistent UV rays from the sun cause vehicle paint to fade. When paint diminishes, it exposes your car to a whole myriad of issues, such as rust.
Intense or repetitive sun exposure also causes considerable damage to the inside of your car. Interior features can become chapped and cracked. You can prevent a brittle interior and damaged car paint by keeping your car in the shade when possible and routinely washing and waxing it.
Dust and Dirt
Dust and dirt buildup can scratch your car’s paint job and compromise its undercarriage. Even when your car doesn’t appear that dusty or dirty, it’s vital to wash it to prevent dirt or dust accumulation.
Byproducts in the Street
Weather, street cleaning, animal byproducts, and road corrosion make for a harmful concoction of street contaminants. When you drive, these road pollutants are unavoidable. Grimy street substances are often highly acidic. Their chemical makeup decomposes vehicles’ paint and metal. To increase your vehicle’s longevity, invest in a protective coating. An advantage of auto paint protection film is that is improves your car’s resistance to detrimental road byproducts.
Precipitation
Precipitation is one of the external factors that affects vehicle performance most. If you don’t take preventative measures to protect your car from rain, hail, snow, and sleet, it becomes susceptible to expensive damage over time.
Rain
Sometimes rain is a nice, free rinse for your vehicle. However, rain can also increase the rate of paint deterioration. Wash your car after it rains to remove the thin layer of rainwater pollutants on your vehicle’s exterior.
Humidity
Humid air can affect your vehicle’s paint and metals nearly as much rain can. Cars in coastal regions are more vulnerable to negative effects from humidity. Humidity exacerbates existing vehicle damage, and it can infiltrate areas of the car that influence its performance.
Hail
Hail is one of the most abrasive forms of precipitation. Hailstorms can leave dents in uncovered vehicles. These welts and pockmarks often need professional repairs, making hail a costly inconvenience.
Salt
Road salt increases road safety in the winter and breaks down snow. Though helpful to driver safety, the chemicals in road salt can be detrimental to vehicles’ undercarriages. Salt buildup slowly erodes precious metals under your vehicle that are vital to its performance.
To ensure your car’s longevity, consider how external elements influence its performance and reliability. Take precautions to safeguard your vehicle’s interior and exterior, such as protective coating, tinted windows, and routine washes.