Why do so many drivers prefer to park in the shade? Does parking the car under sunlight damage it? In this article, we want to answer these questions, and in the beginning, we must say that yes, sunlight can damage the outside and inside of your car.
Sunlight damage to the car
The effect of sunlight on the car body
Sunlight can damage the inside of your car in several ways. The combination of ultraviolet rays and the extreme heat that is generated is very harmful to the car’s interior accessories, and sometimes repairing these accessories can be costly. The dashboard is exposed to more sunlight than elsewhere in the car, and the heat on it is intensified by the windshield. The dashboard may lose its color in a relatively short time. Some of the materials used in the dashboard will crack or disintegrate due to excessive heat, in which case the beautiful appearance of the dashboard will be lost.
Similar problems may occur for chairs and upholstery. Leather chairs get old much faster if they are constantly exposed to the sun. In black and dark chairs, damaged chair color is much more noticeable. Exposure to sunlight also dries natural leather oils, causing them to harden and crack. Automakers usually use sun-resistant leathers, but these leathers also lose their resistance if they are exposed to too much light.
Damage to the car paint
Sunlight is also harmful to the exterior color of the car. Darker colors such as black, blue, or red are more sensitive to this light, but in any case, the color of any car may be spoiled by the constant and constant light of the sun. Plastic parts outside the car are also at risk. Parts such as bumpers, fenders, mirror covers, and trunks are often overlooked, but their color may also fade in the sun.
There are a few simple ways you can prevent sunlight from damaging your car:
1. Always try to park in the shade, or better yet, under one roof.
2. If you have to leave the car in direct sunlight, cover the windows (especially the windshield) to prevent direct light from shining on the dashboard. This will keep your car cooler and you will be more comfortable when you return.
3. You can cover the chairs in the same way as the body.
4. Wipe the outside of the car with a damp cloth or towel. Do not use a dry cloth to do this, as this may further damage the car’s paint.
5. Special waxes are also available on the market to clean car paint, the use of which can greatly reduce the harmful effects of sunlight.
6. If you use a tent to protect your car, try using double-layer tents that have a cotton middle layer. Poor tents may cause lines to fall on the car body or cause damage to the car paint due to the release of chemical gases. By observing these items, you can protect the color of your car from sunlight.