Preserving Your Car Bodywork

Jenna Phillips, Empire Covers Product Research

If you cannot keep your vehicle in a garage or other fixed shelter that provides all round protection for your car, truck or boat then you need to consider covering your vehicle to give it the protection it needs. Bodywork paint is susceptible to a range of environmental factors including the weather with rain causing rust and general discoloration and the sun in particular is a major cause of faded paint work.

It is not just the weather that you have to be aware of when you are looking to protect the appearance of your car as there are other factors that contribute to the deterioration of paint and bodywork. Bird droppings are highly acidic and will actually eat away at paint exposing the bodywork so that other agents can create damage, particularly water. Even if no bodywork is exposed, the chemical components will react with each other causing the development of ugly discoloured spots on your car as well as damaging the shine you are able to produce from waxing and cleaning.

Many times you will see a vehicle parked up in the yard or on the drive in front of the garage and a host of kids running around with bicycles and toys; all of these things inevitably result in some form of collision with your car and create scratches, dings and indentations. You need to ensure that your vehicle has enough protection from the elements, from wildlife and animals and simple things like a ball bouncing off the hood as the children are playing.

The best form of outdoor protection for your car is a quality car cover. Modern materials are able to provide a waterproof protective layer which will minimize the impact of rain on your paintwork and the effect of rust which can develop under the paint work and remain unseen until substantial amounts of damage have been caused. You should also ensure that the car cover is made of materials which will prevent the harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays of the sun penetrating and causing that faded look you so often see on older cars or indeed, any vehicle that has been left out in the sun too long.

A quality car protection cover will also be sturdy enough to take the impact of minor accidents such as falling branches or a bicycle brushing alongside the bodywork. Obviously we are not going to have armor plated car covers but a robust material will help minimize the impact of an enormous range of everyday occurrences which create so much damage to a car's bodywork.

You should also ensure that the cover fits your vehicle as snugly as possible and can be secured in place so it will not be simply blown loose in a storm or high wind. There is no point in securing protection for your car only for part of the covering to come loose when you may not discover this for several weeks or months and allow the elements to damage your vehicle.

The best covers will fit easily and securely around your car as well as being made of durable and modern materials which will stand the test of time and the impact of the environment. Once they are no longer needed, they will also easily and quickly be stored and will not lose their protective qualities as a result of being stored such as cracking or rotting.

Using a car cover is the safest, easiest and cheapest form of car preservation you can invest in to protect your investment and enjoy your vehicle to the fullest.