Have you ever found yourself standing in awe of the brand-new car you brought and mesmerised by its beautiful metallic colour finish only to reflect on memories further down the line and notice a sudden fade in the colour of your prized asset?
The dip in mood for many is almost an instant occurrence with some owners being extremely with Mother Nature for being this brutal on the vehicle.
CSN Collison Centre – a company specialising in car repair services – explains that there are multiple factors that affect the decolouration of one’s car.
These are some of them:
Road salt – Road salt is considered an unfortunate necessity on wet and icy streets explains the above-mentioned source. “When you drive in winter some salt inevitably ends up on your car. Because of its corrosive properties, that road salt eats away at your paint job.”
UV Rays – Ultraviolet rays are radiation that comes from the sun. Continuous exposure to this results in the oxidising of your car paint molecules which causes it to lose its reflectivity. As they start to reflect less light, they start having less shine leaving your car colour looking dull and faded over time.
Bird Droppings – CSN Collision Centre explains that birds poop and pee at the same time. This means that their droppings have a high content of uric acid which comes from their urine. If not cleaned properly and immediately this leaves a white stain on your vehicle.
However, it is often said that prevention is better than cure, and the same applies to valued assets. In order to ensure that your vehicle looks new for long, it is important to protect it from the above-mentioned factors from day one.
Here are some tips to prevent the fading of your paint job recommended by California Collision:
Stick to a washing schedule – To prevent the elements of the weather bird droppings from affecting your paint surface it is essential to have a routine of washing your car on a regular basis.
Wax your vehicle – A good wax can go a long way. It is recommended that you have your vehicle waxed at least once every six months to ensure that you have a layer protecting it from debris, natural elements, dust and road salt.
Park in covered spaces – To prevent UV rays from having their effect and speeding up oxidation, it is essential that you preserve your car’s finish by parking in a shade or covered structure.
Also see: Things you need to check up on before a long road trip
