You’ve got a new paint job on your car and you’re really digging the new color. A few weeks go by and you’re starting to notice scratches. Over time these scratches turn to rust.
If you’re not careful with your paint then you may end wasting a bunch of money. You can put off the inevitable by waxing it on a normal basis but that isn’t the only way to protect it. You’ll have to do a bit more.
To help you keep your ride looking fabulous, here are a few ways that you can protect your car paint throughout the year.
1. Wrap it Up
Once you get a new paint job on your car, you’ll have this overwhelming want to cover it in bubble wrap. You can’t do that though right? Wrong.
You can get a plastic film placed on your car that will protect it from everything from salt and ice during the winter to gravel, birds, and tree sap during the summer. Some films will even heal after they’re scratched so you don’t have to worry about a lapse in protection. Most of the time it’s only applied to the front of your car but there are options to cover the entire thing.
This service for vehicles has to be applied professionally because it takes an expert hand and lots of time.
2. Regular Maintenance
Letting salt from the roads settle on your car for too long can hurt your paint. That’s why you want to have your car cleaned weekly during the Winter if you can afford to. You can get by with only washing it every 2 weeks or so during the summer as long as you stay off dirt roads.
When you get your car cleaned spring for a professional wash with a clay bar treatment. A lot of people skip out on the clay bar treatment but it gets rid of any small residue that the wash manages to miss. If you don’t get it then those small particles will scratch up your car paint when you’re applying wax to it.
3. Fill in Scratches When They Appear
The smallest thing could scratch your car and if you leave it long enough then it can cause your car body to rust. As you can imagine this would destroy your paint. That’s why you should look for scratches at the end of every long week.
If you notice any scratches but can’t get them treated right away then apply clear coat nail polish to the area. It will stop rust from setting in for the time being.
Most fine scratches can be buffed out without an issue. If you have any deeper ones though, it will need a new coat of paint to the area.
4. Deal with Rust
Rust can be a problem. It sneaks in through scratches and other openings on your car body and spreads through to the entire thing. It ruins your paint and just doesn’t look attractive at all.
If you notice you have a bit of rust going on then you’ll need to take your car somewhere to have it dealt with before it gets the chance to become a bigger problem.
5. Smart Parking
It’s not always best to get a parking spot as close to the store as you can. The truth is, you want to be as far away from other cars as possible so it’s better to park as far from the store as you can. You don’t want people to park near you.
A million things can happen when someone pulls up beside you. Most of the scenarios end in deep scratches on your paint.
For example, the person beside you opens their door too fast and bangs it against your car door. Being that far away makes it less likely that a rogue cart will go speeding into your vehicle. It puts you on having to walk a long distance to get into the store but eh, your body will appreciate the extra exercise after a while.
6. Watch Your Keys
It’s hard to believe but every car hasn’t resorted to keyless entry at this point. Even if you have a car with this feature the battery could die and cause you to have to open your car the old fashioned way.
When this happens, if you let your keys dangle, they can scratch up your car. They are made of metal after all. You can get a soft key wallet to prevent them from doing this.
It will protect your car and your phone if you put your keys and phone in the same place. So, it’s worth it.
7. Be More Careful When You Remove Snow
When your car is covered in snow and ice you’ll have to remove it as fast as you can. You don’t want to be late for work after all. The problem is if you aren’t careful with your snow removal, you can damage your paint job.
You’ll want to use foam brushes and brooms instead of your standard ice scraper. Most ice scrapers will wreck up your paint if you’re careless.
As far as technique goes, you’ll want to lightly scrape the snow straight toward you. Don’t go in circles. Also, don’t be too picky about removing every single snowflake from your car. Your engine will get hot enough to melt some of it off.
How You Can Protect Your Flawless Car Paint
If you’ve just got a fresh coat of car paint on your vehicle, you’ll want it to stay on for a while. After all, it’s not cheap to get a new paint job. There are many everyday scenarios that can damage it but if follow the steps you read here, you’ll be able to keep your car looking flawless.
Protecting your paint isn’t the only maintenance you’ll need to do on your vehicle. Check out our blog for more care tips like these.
