For most people, owning a car means parking it outside. If you don’t have a garage – or enough available space in your garage for a vehicle to park – you’ll be leaving it out in the elements day after day. That can work out okay, but some issues may come up over the years, especially in rough climates. One of the most serious issues you can face due to weather conditions is rust. Read on for a guide on how to protect your car from rust.
As a great starting point, consider investing in a carport for your property so you can park under a roof and keep the vehicle dry when not in use. Explore our free Build & Price tool to get started!
Protect the Paint
If you want to protect your car from rust, the first thing you need to do is protect the paint on your vehicle. Why is the paint so important? Simple – it’s the paint, and the clear coat over the paint, that is doing the job of protecting the underlying metal from rust. If holes develop in that protecting coating, moisture will have the opening it needs to get in and start to oxidize the metal.
So, fighting against rust is really a matter of making sure the exterior of your car remains in good condition. For starters, if you see any damage to your paint job, don’t just ignore it and think it’s only a cosmetic issue. Even if you don’t mind the fact that the paint looks damaged, you’d be wise to have this spot fixed because it will restore the protective layer that your vehicle uses to keep rust at bay. Every once in a while, walk around your car or truck slowly to look for signs of damage to the paint and have repairs performed if you notice any problems.
Car Washes Are Important
It might be surprising to find out that getting your car wet can help prevent it from rusting, but that’s exactly the case. When you wash your vehicle regularly, you remove dirt and small bits of debris that could gradually damage the paint – and lead to the issues we were talking about above. With consistent washing, the exterior stays free from build-up and you’ll be less likely to run into problems with your paint and clear coat as the years go by.
On the topic of car washing, consider doing it by hand if at all possible. Yes, driving through a local commercial car wash is convenient, but it’s also a harsh way to wash the vehicle and you might wind up damaging the exterior slightly as a result. It doesn’t take particularly long to wash a car or truck by hand, and the supplies to do so are relatively affordable. Collect a small kit of car washing supplies and get into the habit of performing this task regularly.
Refresh the Protective Layer
When a vehicle drives off the dealership lot, it has a clear coat over the paint that protects the paint job and the metal beneath. Over time, however, that clear coat is going to diminish, and the protection will be reduced. You can build back up this protective layer by waxing your vehicle’s exterior. That’s right – waxing your car is about more than just making it look great, although it will do that, as well. By waxing the car once or twice a year by hand, you’ll restore some protection and help stave off rust for as long as possible.
Park Under a Roof
We hope you enjoyed this helpful guide on how to protect your car from rust! We mentioned this point in the introduction, but it’s worth reiterating here – parking in a protected spot will go a long way toward caring for the condition of your vehicle over the coming years. Parking in a garage is a great idea, but parking under a carport will do largely the same thing at a fraction of the cost.
If you’re ready to protect your vehicle, explore our free Build & Price tool to get started!
