How to Prevent Sun, Wind and Weather Damage to a Car

Whether you park your car in a garage, the time it is traveling on the road or sitting in a parking lot is enough to wear down the painted surface in a very short period. If instead you decide to take better care of your car and get 10 years or more out of the paint, there are a few simple if not easy steps to follow. The idea is to coat the paint with a thin film that will provide UV protection and resist scratches and water penetration.

Difficulty:

Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• 2-gallon plastic bucket Hose Spray nozzle Sponges Sponge with no-scratch scrubbing surface (optional) Cotton cloth (100 percent cotton rags are suitable) Carwash formula Liquid Glass (or comparable clear coat protector)

1. Choose a day to work on your car that is at least 60 degrees and sunny. The best temperatures are in the mid 70s to mid 80s so the metal won't get too hot. For optimum results, two times a year is best to perform this treatment, and the best times are fall and spring---when you are likely to find moderate temperatures and sunny skies.

2. Carefully wash your car using a mild detergent developed for automobile use only. Spend a lot of time washing the car so that you remove all dirt, wax, tar, grime, grease or anything else that might collect on the paint. Pay particular attention to the surfaces at the bottom of the doors and rocker arms where the tires have splashed up matter from the road. Try to remove all matter with the sponge. If you keep working at it, you will usually be successful, but if you can't get it all off, use the no-scratch scrubbing sponge, but use it sparingly.

3. Allow the car to dry before applying the treatment. Wiping it down with cotton rags will speed up the process, but make sure water isn't collected in the headlights, door handles and bumpers that will wet your application cloth or roll down over the paint while you are applying the liquid treatment.

4. Fold about a 1-foot square piece of cotton cloth (cotton T-shirts work great) into a square about the size of your palm, then pour a small amount of the liquid glass (or comparable treatment)--about the size of a coin--onto one corner of the cloth.

5. Apply a thin even coat using a back and forth motion in small areas about a square foot in size. Be careful not to overlap at the edges of the squares, but make sure you cover all the surface. Avoid touching any porous surface with the treatment, including any plastic or rubber molding or other surface. Get a clean piece of cloth whenever the one you're using begins to feel somewhat wet.

6. Allow the treatment to dry 20 to 30 minutes. It will be powdery white when it is ready to be buffed.

7. Using soft, clean cotton material, buff the entire surface until it is clean and shiny using slight pressure and only attempting to remove the powdery film. The application is not dependent on the buffing.

8. Apply a second coat after 2 hours in the sun for maximum results.

Tips & Warnings

• If treating an older car for the first time, consider using a very gentle compounding agent to clean the paint between the washing and clear coating steps. Treating two cars at once is perfect timing for one car drying thoroughly while you're washing the other and for allowing the treatment to temper sufficiently before buffing.

• Be very careful when removing sticky matter from paint or anything that might be a flaw in the finish because it only takes a second to ruin the finish.