'Summerize' Your Car

Summertime is a great season for nearly everyone. Great weather, free time and some much-needed relaxation make it a wonderful time of year. However, when you're outdoors having all that fun, don't forget about your poor vehicle. Cars suffer in the sun the same way people do, without the benefit of a tan. According to Autogeek, UV rays attack paint and plastics, leaving behind what can be equated to an automobile's sunburn if the issue is left untreated. However, there are ways to make sure summer is just as great for your car as it is for you.

Wax: Your Car's Sunscreen:

The paint on your vehicle can really take a beating in the sun. However, a good wax job can really minimize the effects to the point of practically being a non-factor. Firstly, when you wax your car, do a hand wax. Many companies like Armor All claim to have "Wash & Wax" soaps for your car, but all these really do is make it look extra clean and may make your wax job last a bit longer.

When picking your wax, you will be confronted with a few things. First is whether you get the one- or three-step app? There are advantages to both, which I have seen personally many times.

First, the one-step application obviously requires less time, and looks almost as good as the three-steps I have used personally. However, if your car is really dirty, has some non-impact-related paint damage (oxidation, fade etc.), or hasn't been waxed in years, the three-step may be worth your time. The reason behind this is that the three-step will do a great job of completely cleaning and polishing the surface of your car (those are steps one and two in most). One trick I like is to buy steps 1 and 2, and then buy a one-step wax for step three (step 3 is always just waxing). This way you can start out with a great three-step wax, then use the one-step (sometimes referred to as "cleaner wax") as needed.

There are a billion types of car wax out there, but Sportomotoring states the main factor in selecting a wax is carnuba. Carnuba is the ingredient in the wax which repels water, protects from UV rays and saves your paint. The more carnuba in a wax, the harder it will be to rub on, but the longer it will last, better it will look, and stronger it will be as well.

Headlights:

Yellowed and oxidizing headlights can make a car look old and awful. The worst part of it is this process can't be reversed unless you buy new lights or get it buffed out professionally for a good deal of money (sorry; DIY just doesn't seem to work). However, you can prevent this issue easily. ClearMask's headlight film goes on invisibly, lasts a lifetime, and keeps your headlights from acquiring any unwanted damage from the sun and most road debris. This is a great investment that will serve you well down the road.

Remember Your Interior Too:

It may be hard to believe, but protecting the interior of your car from those harmful summer rays is just as important as protecting the outside. Any plastic areas of you car, especially those colored brown or black, can dry out and become faded due to the sun. One way to avoid this is to apply a protectant, such as Armor All. It used to be, back in the day, that these protectants would leave an oily residue, and then actually worsen the problem by drying your dash even more, sometimes to the point that they would crack!

However, according to Autogeek, that was due to protectants being silicone-based; most are now water-based, which do not cause any of the earlier mentioned issues and actually does a good job preserving your plastic. That said, you must use caution when selecting your interior cleaner/protectant. Make sure it is water-based and from a reputable brand, as some are still silicone-based; cheaper ones (usually because they are silicone-based) can cause problems.

I recommend, from personal experience, Armor All Protectant Gel. It seems from my experience to be less messy than the spray and is hardly noticeable after being applied.

"The Five Most Important Questions to Ask Before You Buy Car Wax or Auto Polish:" Sportomotoring

"Auto Detailing Facts, Tips & Tricks:" Autogeek

"LightGard" ClearMask

"Products" ArmorAll