Until a bubble for your car becomes a real possibility, which we are guessing isn’t a very practical choice, scratches are going to happen. Someone might accidentally drag a bag against your car, a branch may fall from a tree above, or an extra dusty road might add just enough dirt for small scratches to appear, but scratches are going to happen. Pitt Stop Detail & Auto Sales has a few tips to prevent as many of these scratches as you can.
Regular Washing
Regular washing not only keeps your car looking clean, but it can also help you prevent scratches. What seems like regular dust and dirt is made up of fine particles that, over time, can cause micro scratches and abrasions in your car’s paint. By washing at home with soap and water and bringing your car to Pitt Stop Detail & Auto Sales for a deeper clean, you are preventing scratches of all types.
Regular Waxing
Waxing doesn’t necessarily prevent or fix scratches, but it does help in more general ways. Waxing your vehicle helps protect the paint from UV rays, water damage, and oxidation. Wax also makes it easy for liquids to slide off the surface of your car which reduces the other pollutants that may settle on your car’s paint. By reducing these pollutants, you can reduce the likelihood they will scratch your car’s paint and keep it looking new. Auto Zone states “[i]t acts as a slippery surface and, when a material comes into light contact with the paint, it can allow it to glide over the top rather than dig into the clear coat or paint.”
Ceramic Coating
If you need more scratch prevention and repair, you can consider a ceramic coating with Pitt Stop Detail & Auto Sales. This extra barrier can help protect your vehicle while also filling in gaps and swirls in the paint for a smoother finish and appearance. While your vehicle will be more protected with a ceramic coating, it is not imperfect. Road and Track relates, ceramic coatings are “a sacrificial barrier that will give itself up to protect your paint.”
Care with Parking
One of the main ways we can help prevent car scratches and dings is to choose wisely where we park. If you have space in your garage, you can park your vehicle there, but be careful of parking too close to equipment or other cars. Avoid parking under trees or on the street where your car may be dinged by branches or passersby. In parking lots or public parking, there isn’t a lot you can control, but you can move to a different spot if you think someone is parked too close to the line or there may be larger risks from shopping carts or other people.
If your scratched up vehicle needs a cleaning, a waxing, a coating, or all the above, contact Pitt Stop Detail & Auto Sales today. We can do paint correction, interior detailing, and a variety of other aesthetic fixes for your car, truck, SUV, minivan, trailer, or more. Trust our experts with your vehicle and drive away sparkling new.