Summer is here and what better time to refresh the appearance of your vehicles. Skip the carwash and treat your car, truck or SUV to some TLC.
- Wash the wheels first. If you wash the wheels last, your car will have dried on water spots before you are finished. Be sure to change your bucket of wash water before starting on the body. Brake dust is very corrosive.
- Use a high-grade carwash soap using a lamb’s wool or microfiber mitt. Make sure your car is cool. Work in the shade or when the sun is low in the sky. A hot surface causes the wash and rinse water to quickly evaporate, increasing the likelihood of water spotting. One trick is to park on a slight incline. This allows rinse water to run off moldings, wetting the car’s finish with a medium spray of water to remove loose grit and surface dirt.
- Start washing from the top surfaces and work down. Rinse the car often to reduce scratching and swirl marks from grit and loose dirt.
- Use a final rinse of free flowing water (nozzle off the hose). This will allow the water to sheet off the car, which reduces drying time and the number of towels you need to use to completely dry your car.
- To dry, use a clean microfiber drying towel. On the top surfaces, spread and draw the towel across the surface towards you. On the vertical surfaces, fold the towel and wipe front to rear. This low-impact drying method will reduce towel-induced swirl marks in the clearcoat.
WHAT IS OXIDATION?
A dull appearance is usually the result of oxidation caused by the sun's damaging ultra-violet rays. In order to restore and retain a lasting, high gloss shine, it is necessary to remove the oxidation to expose a clean layer of paint. If oxidized paint is left untreated for long periods, the surface may permanently fade, requiring professional preparation or repainting.
SUMMER CAR PREPARATION
- Wash you car using the steps above.
- Wax your vehicle using a good synthetic wax.
- Treat your leather upholstery with a leather conditioner to prevent cracking. You can’t beat Amazon users to steer you to the best products.
- Replace a battery if it’s over 5 years old (don’t try to get the last electron).
- Replace wipers when they begin streaking, chattering or not clearing the total surface of your windshield.
- Make sure your washer reservoir is full and jets are spraying at the correct angle.
- Locate the antifreeze reservoir under your hood and check that the reservoir is full (antifreeze is the key to protecting your cooling system).
- Tires should be evenly worn, have no excessive wear and kept at the correct pressure.
Get Ready for Summer driving with a Summer Driving Check-up.
Have a safe and memorable summer 2017! Headed into the mountains this Summer? Check out our Mountain Driving Tips.
