7 Tips to Protect Your Car Paint

Lending your car a fresh paint job is not only expensive, but it also reduces the resale value of the vehicle as well. A factory-finished paint job is always the best and with the right amount of care, you can retain your car’s original colour for several years, sometimes even a lifetime. 

Here’s how you can protect your car paint and keep it shining.

1. Wash thoroughly

This is perhaps the single most important method to protect your car paint. Use a car shampoo to wash the tyres, exterior, window glass area, and the windshield. The interior can be washed too but be careful of the dashboard, particularly the instrument panel. Bird droppings are highly corrosive and can cause irreparable damage to the car’s paint. Clean any such stuff immediately with water. Also, never use household detergents to wash your car. These are mostly acidic in nature and may react with the paint. Once in a while, it is advisable to take the car for a professional wash. 

2. Never skip drying

Many owners don’t dry their car with the proper technique after washing. Worse, many don’t dry them at all. They assume that the vehicle will dry naturally especially if the weather is bright and sunny. That often causes the maximum damage to the paint. Not drying the car will leave water spots on the paint that is hard to wipe out. Your entire effort to keep the car clean by washing will go to waste. A microfiber or weave-drying towel is best suited to wipe your car. If that’s not available, a cotton cloth can serve the purpose.

3. Waxing the paint

A good car wax usually lasts about 8-10 months. It protects the paint from external damages like dust, contaminants, scratches and ultraviolet rays. A fresh coat of wax twice a year will help to retain the smooth finish of your car. Waxing the car paint also leads to a marginal increase in the car’s fuel efficiency since it reduces the aerodynamic drag. Using carnauba wax is considered the best for the rather harsh Australian environment. The carnauba wax lends a glowing shine to the paint. The car must be kept cool and away from the sun during the waxing process to retain the lustre on the paint.

4. Paint protection film

This is a relatively new way to protect your car's paint. It’s a clear film that is applied to the car’s exterior and quite similar to the one applied on glass areas. The paint protection film protects the car from a number of major external elements like dust, grime, heat, tar, ultraviolet rays, and rocks and pebbles flying off the road.  However, the film is expensive than waxing but will last for more than five years, which is usually the lifetime for most private cars. It can also be applied to areas like the rear and front bumpers.

5. Clear coat protector

All new cars come with a clear coating on the paint. Besides keeping the car shiny, the protector shields the car from outside elements. The coat offers a better, glossy finish to the car and at the same time keeps dust and ultraviolet rays away. Minor issues can be easily covered if the vehicle has a clear coat. However, most coat protectors are sensitive to scratches and also prone to oxidation. Even if you use a clear protector, the car will still need a wax coating to retain the paint shine. The protector is not a substitute for waxing. 

6. Vinyl Wraps

A vinyl wrap not only lends a new shade to your car, but it also helps to protect the original colour scheme. The best part is that it can be done at half the cost of getting a new paint job. Vinyl wraps work as a shield on the original paint and never goes dull. They are also quite thick to absorb minor dents and scratches. Removing the wrap is easy and the residual glue, which can be easily washed off, won’t damage the car.

7. Using a clay bar

Clay bars can get rid of invisible contaminants that stick to your car’s paint. These are very effective to remove the smallest dust particles. Using a clay bar should be followed by waxing to sustain the cleanliness.