Keep the pride in your dated ride
MAINTENANCE: Easy ways to avoid falling out of love with an experienced vehicle
Many of us become dissatisfied with our rides long before they have lived out their useful lives.
They may still perform well, get great gas mileage, maintain a smooth and steady ride and exhibit nearperfect reliability, but we just aren’t happy with them anymore. More often than not, it’s because of their appearance and, more specifically, the condition of the body paint.
Whether it’s surface rust, peeling, fading or an excess amount of commuter scars, paint failures and defects are quite different than any other area of vehicle maintenance and repair; by the time it really bothers us, it can often be perceived as too expensive to rectify. This is mostly caused by the fact it’s hard to refinish one area of an eight- or nine-yearold vehicle without ending up with a patchwork look. And it’s something well beyond the scope of most do-it-yourselfers’ skill level.
But there are some easy and relatively inexpensive ways to keep the paint lasting as long as the loan payments.
Keep it clean: This should really go without saying, but many drivers don’t realize that a good portion of the road grit, dust, and grime that collects on their vehicles can do far more damage than simply detracting from the looks. Acidic and basic compounds can etch into the paint causing bubbling, peeling and cracking. Organic sources such as bird droppings and certain insect secretions can be the worst. Getting these contaminants off a soon as possible will go a long way to keeping the shine. If a full car wash won’t fit into the schedule, a quick blast from the garden hose is better than nothing.
Keep it waxed: A good quality car wax from a trusted brand such as Turtle or Meguiar’s can provide an invisible shield to keep dirt from sticking and penetrating the outer layer of paint. It can also reduce the effects of the sun’s radiation when it comes to keeping the paint from fading. Depending on where you live and drive, it’s best to wax your vehicle every third or fourth wash.
Keep it shaded: Parking in direct sunlight is a good way to prematurely fade darker colours of body paint, but avoid parking under trees. Many trees can drop sap or other resins onto the paint and in the case of coniferous trees, their needles can be acidic. While the majority of us don’t have the opportunity to seek out shaded spots when parking at work or home, a breathable car cover that’s custom made for easy installation can be a cheap investment compared to the cost of repainting a vehicle.
Keep it protected: While no one wants to drive a bubble-wrapped vehicle, there are some functional, yet stylish alternatives to protect key areas. The leading edge of a vehicle hood takes all the pounding from stone chips and gravel blasting. A front hood protector (or air deflector as they’re commonly called) can reduce a lot of this risk. Soft front-end covers or bras should be avoided as they tend to trap moisture and stain paint.
Most drivers know about the benefit of mud-flaps and they’re an easy DIY-type job. But fewer know about protective plastic film known as gravel guard. This is available from most auto body and auto glass shops and some general auto parts stores.