If you do not have the great fortune to own a home with a garage, or other way to shield your car from the sun’s rays, you know this side of the struggles of car ownership. Some pieces of the equipment in your car can get so hot, that if you are not careful, they can burn your skin. You may think your car is made to withstand these temperature extremes, and while technically you are correct, the parts that are made to hold up under extreme heat are not the aesthetic features of your car. The engine and inner machine parts can easily handle the heat. Your paint, upholstery, and plastics are, sadly, not built for it and can fall victim to sun damage.
Paint
The sun’s ultraviolet rays can work your paint job over, regardless of your best intentions. If you have your car for more than a few years, the sun damage will gradually fade the paint, leaving you with chipped and faded sections on your baby. The shine will gradually reduce until you are left with a shadow of your car’s former beauty.
Plastics
From the panels, knobs, speakers, and slots, there are a lot of plastic components in your vehicle. It is common sense that plastic and heat don’t get along well; we’re not saying that the plastic is going to melt or crumble to bits from the heat of the sun – we’re just saying that over time, the heat and direct sunlight can slowly deteriorate your plastic components. The color will fade and the surfaces will become extraordinarily brittle; they will begin to crack and tear under normal use. It might even go so far as to rub off a fine dust of plastic powder anytime another object brushes over the surface.
Upholstery
Similar to plastic, your car’s upholstery will slowly disintegrate over time. With repeated exposure to the sun and increased levels of heat inside the car, the fabric or leather can become extremely thin, brittle, and faded. This will cause it to rip and tear so much easier under normal use, and can cause much discomfort and annoyance as the process continues indefinitely.
Sun Damage Prevention
Although the sun rises every day and can damage your car incessantly, there are many things a car owner can do to prevent and lessen the sun damage. And no, you don’t have to become an archvillain bent on world domination with a plan to block the sun to do it.
One thing you can do is park indoors as much as possible, or at least in the shade. While this may not be possible for everyone, if you can do this, it will go a long way toward protecting the interior of your vehicle.
If it is not possible for you to park indoors or in good shady spots as often as all that, then one of the next best things is to have your windows tinted. The tint can reduce the damaging UV rays from penetrating as easily through the glass and causing damage to your plastics and upholstery. If tint is a little too expensive for you at the moment, consider getting a sunshade; they are an affordable alternative. They are not as effective as tint or parking indoors, but every little bit helps! Contact us for any additional question.
