Wednesday 12 February 2025 Car Bodywork Best Winter Protection
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Following on from our feature last month ‘Are you ready for winter? ' This month we are focusing on your car bodywork, paintwork and best winter protection.
6th DECEMBER 2019
Following on from our feature last month ‘Are you ready for winter? ’ This month we are focusing on your car bodywork, paintwork and best winter protection.
Treat Your Paintwork
Now that winter is upon us your car needs the maximum protection from the weather and more importantly from salt and grit on the roads. Keeping your car waxed and sealed and the rubber and trim treated is a proven way to maintain a healthy exterior finish. Traditional waxes such as Carnauba based waxes may not hold up in the harshest of winter conditions so we suggest that a change to synthetic wax or sealant will be very beneficial for total winter protection.
Don’t Forget your Wheels and Tyres
Your tyres are now exposed to the full force of the winter elements. Make sure that they are in good order and that the pressures are correct especially as the cold atmosphere causes pressures to drop. These guys are the ones to get you out of trouble in slushy conditions so you should have the best tread depth on your driven wheels. Liberal use of a high quality tyre dressing will not only keep them looking good during harsh conditions but will also provide a barrier to the elements and atmosphere. If your car is remaining unused for months on end you may consider investing in tyre shapers that will help to stop flat spots and cracks developing and will ensure that your tyres do not need premature replacement.
The Battery
Winter is already here and if there is only just one precaution that you should take, it’s a battery inspection! Even if your car or battery is relatively new there will be those early morning starts in ultra low temperatures that have the potential to drain the last drop of power from a weak battery. Once a modern battery has become discharged, the performance will never be quite as good again.
Make sure that your battery terminals are free of corrosion and if necessary clean them with baking soda and water. Then check that they are tight and finally spray them with a lubricating protectant.
Ice, Snow & Frost Removal
Some people use warm or hot water to attempt to melt ice from the surface of their car. While this may appear to work, there are potential side effects for this as the sudden temperature change can cause glass to crack or even shatter. Additionally, if the outside temperature is below freezing, the resultant water on the ground will re-freeze leaving a slippery ice rink in your parking area or driveway. It’s much better to use a de-icer but this should be used sparingly as prolonged use could damage paintwork, stain trims and tarnish bright trims. The most effective way to slowly melt ice and frost is to leave the car to warm up and defrost. While effective it takes time in your otherwise busy life but will ensure that your perfect paintwork will not be spoilt. Always remember to use a proper automotive scraper on your automotive glass because screens are easy to scratch and a scratch in your line of vision could cause an MOT failure.
Wrap Up for Winter
We are, of course, rather biased! A good quality cover will serve you well and can be used all year round to protect from sunshine paint fade, tree sap, bird droppings and winter snow and frost. We have a stockist in Finland who regularly supplies covers to cars in the arctic regions of Lapland and he reports that not only does it prevent doors or locks freezing but your car can be ready to go in just moments whilst your neighbour is scraping frost and snow for at least 10 minutes! We offer fully tailored outdoor covers in four different fabrics for cars, vans, SUV’s and motorcycles. These covers are very strong, robust and reasonably priced. You are welcome to call us on 01903 764689 to discuss your storage situation and we will be pleased to advise you further. You can find a comparison chart here https://www.cover-zone.com/products/car-covers/
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