Taking care of your car will help it to last longer, but most people don’t do a great job, as a recent survey found that more than three-fourths of automobiles were in need of maintenance. Auto maintenance can involve a number of tasks, including taking care of your engine and other mechanical systems. It also can involve taking care of both the inside and outside of your car. While you have a large degree of control over the inside of your car and how it looks, the outside appearance is harder to control. You can wash and wax your car all you want, but that’s not going to protect it from the elements and other drivers. Here are some of the risks your car’s exterior may face.
Weather can wreak havoc on a car’s exterior. Hail damage is a concern, as is damage cause by wind-driven objects. But even just being subjected to the sun or the harsh temperatures can cause the paint to dull. Keeping your car in the garage will help, but you can’t keep it there all the time. Painting a car may be the only way to restore a paint job that has been damaged by weather.
Another big threat to your car’s exterior is gravel and debris that can be kicked up into the air by other drivers. These tiny pieces of rock and metal can become missiles that can ding your car body or crack your windshield. Though about 90% of windshield dings from small pebbles never actually cause a full-blown crack, they still are unsightly and can weaken your windshield. Often the only way to fix windshield dings is through auto glass repair, which can be expensive.
A major threat to your car’s exterior comes from other cars. Whether it’s a car accident or a door ding, your vehicle is constantly at risk from other drivers on the road and in parking lots. If you are in a car accident, it’s important to have your car repaired at an auto body shop, where they will replace damaged parts, go through the process of painting a car and do whatever else is necessary to restore your car to like-new condition.
To keep your car in good operating condition and to keep up its value, you need to maintain it. That means getting regular maintenance done, performing routine care tasks and getting damage fixed as quickly as possible.