Although there are people who look forward to the winter season, if cars could talk, they would probably dread the colder months ahead. Cars and extremely cold temperatures just don’t mix, especially if the car has not been prepared for the winter. Although preventative measures should be done all year round, there’s just something about winter that makes it too harsh on cars. One of the things that could suffer is the car’s paint since it is always exposed to the elements. Fortunately, winter paint protection can be done and it includes regularly washing the car, applying wax, parking inside a garage or off the streets, using car covers, applying paint protection paint or protective coating, removing snow, and patching up rust spots or chips on the car’s body.
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Winter paint protection is needed since during winter, your car’s paint will be exposed to ice, snow, road salt, and cold temperatures that can damage it. The winter paint protection procedures ensure that your car will be winter-ready, giving it a fighting chance to withstand the harsh effects of winter. In this article, we will go through each of these procedures and more!
Winter Paint Protection: How Do I Protect My Paint in the Winter?
You might have heard about the procedures that should be done to “winterize” a car. It consists of preventative measures to make sure that your car is ready for the winter. This is because winter or extreme cold temperatures can be tough on cars. It can cause problems with the car battery, the car’s fluids, tires, corrosion, windshield wipers, and other components of the car. Driving during winter can be very dangerous, too. The visibility will be reduced if there is snow and the roads will be very slippery.
It is for this reason that during winter, car owners are doing some preventative measures to make sure that their cars will not add to their winter problems. But what about our car’s paint? How can we protect it? Our car’s paint might not affect the performance of the cars nor can compromise their safety, winter paint protection should still be done since it can affect the integrity of the car’s frame. Plus, your car will not look good. If you are planning to sell your car with a damaged paint, it will be harder to sell since it can greatly affect the market value of your car.
Exposure to rain, snow, mud, salt, and even falling branches and other debris can ruin the paint of your car at a fast rate. When its paint becomes damaged, your car’s bodywork will be more susceptible to corrosion or rust. Fortunately, doing some preventative winter car maintenance or winter paint protection can prevent this damage.
How do I protect my paint from damage in the winter? Winter paint protection includes:
- Washing the car regularly.
Washing your car regularly is one of the best ways to protect your car. This car winter paint protection tip will be very helpful especially if your car has been exposed to road salt. Salt is commonly used in most cities and towns across the US during winter since it helps melt ice and make driving less dangerous. Salt can help the drivers and it’s quite effective in doing its job, but it can be very harmful for your car.
Salt is known to be corrosive. When it gets wet and comes in contact with your car, it can bind to its metal that can lead to rust formation. When it comes in contact with your car, it can lead to a number of problems. Aside from salt, other things that could cause problems to your car during winter are dirt, oil, rock chips, and other abrasive materials that can be carried by snow. All these can damage your car’s paint and it is for this reason why washing your car regularly during winter is one of the ways to ensure winter paint protection.
By washing your car regularly during winter you will be able to remove the harmful impurities from your paint. It makes sure that rust or corrosion won’t damage your car. If you don’t want to deal with water during the colder months, you can take your car to a car wash. But when you do, pick a sunny day and take your car to a carwash with a drier to make sure that the water won’t be icing on your car.
If you are washing your car yourself, make sure that you use a car shampoo or car cleaning products that can gently clean your car paint as well as protect its finish. You can start with the roof and work your way down. You should also make sure that you clean your car’s undercarriage. Its undercarriage should be cleaned so salt and other debris will be removed from the bottom of the car. If there are any hard-to-remove stains and grime, you can use clay bars to get rid of them.
- Waxing your car often.
Aside from washing your car regularly, waxing your car often is also one way of protecting your car paint. By applying wax, you will be applying a protective layer over your car’s paint. This winter paint protection will create a barrier between the car’s body or paint and the ice, snow, salt and other debris, preventing them from sticking to your paint. Applying wax on your car should be done often since over time, exposure to the elements can cause the wax to wear out.
- Parking it in the garage.
Where you park your car may also have an affect on your car’s paint and exterior. As part of winter paint protection, you should avoid parking on the street or directly below the trees. If you have access to a garage or a covered carport, it is best to park your car in there when it is not being used.
If your car is parked on the street, salt and plow trucks may pass often, at all hours, to clear the roads during the winter. Leaving your car parked there also makes your car susceptible to damage caused by other vehicles driving on the icy or slippery roads. Parking your car directly under the trees can also damage your car’s paint caused by birds, leaves, and branches that might fall on your car.
If you notice that there are leaves on your car, you need to remove them immediately and clean your car. This is because wet leaves hold moisture and carry salt that can damage your car’s paint. The longer you allow the leaves to stick on your car, the more likely they will cause damage to your car’s paint.
- Using a car cover.
If you don’t have access to a garage or a covered carport, you should consider using a cover for your car if you know that it will be sitting outside for a long period during winter. Using a car cover that is designed for cold weather protection will protect your car from the elements as well as keep excess moisture and ice off your car’s paint. Using a car cover during winter can also reduce wearing off your car’s paint or protection coat caused by brushing snow and scraping ice off from your car.
- Using soft brushes when removing snow.
If your car is parked outside and snow has piled up, car owners tend to brush or scrape off snow aggressively, especially if they are already running late. It also doesn’t help that they use harsh tools when removing all the snow. When you are not gentle or when you use harsh tools when you are brushing or scraping off snow from your car, it can scratch or make small abrasions on your paint’s surface. It can damage your car in the long run since chips on your paint may allow snow’s moisture to corrode your car’s bodywork.
To prevent this from happening, you need to use brushes with soft bristles, with a handle long enough to clean and remove any snow without scratching your paintwork. You also need to make sure that you will be gentle and careful when doing this so you won’t damage your car’s paint.
- Repair any chips or bodywork problems.
When you are washing your car, you should do a visual inspection on it. You should check for any signs of damage such as chips or scratches on your car. If you find any, regardless of the size, you should have it touched up immediately. It should be corrected right away since the chipped or scratched area of your car’s paint will be susceptible to chemicals or moisture and when they find their way into your car’s metal bodywork, it can cause corrosion or rust to develop. If you notice that rust is starting to develop, you need to have it fixed and resealed immediately to prevent any further damage.
Winter Paint Protection: Is Paint Protection Film on Cars Worth it?
One of the ways to ensure a winter paint protection on your car is by using a paint protection film. However, this winter paint protection tip can be a bit costly, which led many car owners to ask, is paint protection film on cars worth it?
A paint protection film is a polymer or polyurethane film that is applied over the body panels of your car to protect them from chips, scratches, UV rays, and other debris. If you have heard the term “clear bra”, it refers to stage one of the protection film procedure. If you want a professional to apply paint protection film on your car, a clear bra will cost around $1,300 to $7,000 for the whole car. The price can vary depending on the condition of your car, how much coverage you want, and how difficult it is to apply paint protection film on your car.
So is installing paint protection film on cars worth it? Here are some of the benefits of having paint protection film installed on your car.
- It protects your car from most scratches and marks.
Winter paint protection is needed to make sure that your car’s paint will not suffer any damages and to maintain its natural shine and pristine condition. It is done to make sure that your car’s exterior will be able to handle all the dirt, grime, snow, salt, and other harmful particles.
Applying paint protection film on your car can protect it from these harmful particles and weather conditions. If your car is still pretty new, the paint protection film can help preserve the value of your car which will be very beneficial if you plan on reselling or trading in your car in the future.
- You will save money over time.
By applying paint protection film on your car, you will be able to save money in the long run. This can happen since you won’t have to spend on repairs or car paint jobs frequently. You won’t have to deal with having your car’s paint redone after every ding scratches or small chips. Consider the cost as an investment. You might find it expensive at first, but you will be able to save over time since you won’t have to worry about the paint job repair bills again.
- It protects your car against fluctuating winter temperatures.
A car is always exposed to a lot of temperature changes. During winter, these temperature changes can happen too. If your car has paint protection film on it, you won’t have to worry about it since your paint will be secured and protected against any temperature changes.
Winter paint protection is important to make sure that your car’s exterior will be protected from the harsh cold weather. A well-maintained car paint not only makes your car look good, but it can also help prevent structural problems. It can help since car bodies are made with metal that can weaken and get corroded over time, especially when it is not protected properly. Plus, a well-maintained car paint can also improve the resale value of a car.