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4 Practices for Keeping Your Car's Paint Job Beautiful

websitebuilder • Apr 26, 2017

There is nothing like the look of a shiny, spotless car with a gleaming paint job. That is why so many vehicle owners work hard to maintain their vehicle's pristine exterior. Keeping your car beautiful requires you to exercise extra care and avoid certain behaviors that can ruin the paint job. Below are four of the best practices for maintaining your vehicle's flawless appearance.

Car Paint Job — Red Car Paint in Raleigh, NC

1. Frequently Wash and Wax Your Car By Hand

One of the first and most important things you can do as a vehicle owner is to wash and wax your car by hand on a frequent basis. Note that washing and waxing by hand is greatly preferred when compared to using an automatic car wash.

Automatic car washes are fast and convenient, but you can rarely be certain about the type of treatment your car will receive when visiting one. For example, the chemicals used to wash the car may be harsh or improperly mixed, resulting in damage to your finish.

In addition, the brushes, mops, or other cleaning implements may scratch the finish on your vehicle. Even the blowers that dry your vehicles could eject abrasive particles that sandblast the paint. The bottom line is using an automatic car wash has far too many risks.

2. Keep Your Car Garaged or Covered

Another important means of protecting your car's exterior from undue harm is by parking it in a garage on a regular basis. There are several environmental factors, such as the sun and snow, that can attack and degrade your vehicle's finish, and the only way to avoid those harsh agents consistently is by keeping your car garaged.

This may be easy to do if you are at home, but keep in mind that your car is exposed when parked elsewhere. To counter this exposure, you should try to find covered parking spots whenever possible; it is worth the extra money and time to park in a covered area at work, at school, while shopping or while pursuing other activities.

Should covered parking be hard to find or prohibitively expensive, you can alternatively protect your car with a removable cover. When researching car covers, be sure to look for covers specifically designed for your vehicle make and model to ensure a tight fit.

In addition, evaluate the materials used for the cover to make sure they are completely safe for your vehicle's finish, and avoid any material that may damage your paint. A cheap cover may not be much of a bargain in the end if it mars your vehicle's finish.

3. Use Paint Protection Film on Vulnerable Spots

Paint protection film consists of a thin layer of invisible plastic that is applied as a sheet or via a spray-on method. This film can serve as an extra barrier against environmental forces that conspire to damage your vehicle's paint.

Do-it-yourself film kits are available, but it is better to rely on a professional to apply paint protection film. Mistakes in application can lead to wasted product and unsightly wrinkles or air bubbles.

4. Drive Cautiously

No matter how hard you work to protect your vehicle's finish, it all is for naught if other drivers and vehicles do damage to the exterior. Other drivers can kick up road debris that can dent, chip, and scrape your car, thus removing paint and leaving pockmarks all over the car.

To prevent damage while on the road, give yourself an extra second or two of following distance. Driving too closely behind another car will allow debris to strike your vehicle at high speed. By backing off a bit, you will allow the debris to slow down before striking your car. Be especially mindful of large vehicles, such as semis or dump trucks.

In addition, be careful where and how you drive your car in order to protect it from damage. Keep off gravel or other unpaved surfaces when possible, and drive slowly at all times to avoid kicking up rocks and debris.

If you car's paint job has already lost its luster, then you probably can't do too much to restore it on your own. Contact a paint and body shop that will restore the beauty of your vehicle by repainting your car.

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