It might not seem possible that spring weather can damage your vehicle’s exterior paint but it can. It isn’t April showers that cause trouble, although if they are accompanied by hail then, yes, that’s a huge problem. It’s the other natural things that accompany the spring season. Lucas Auto Care recommends you wash and wax your European automobile now to protect the exterior paint against the following.
Pollen
When spring flowers bloom they release pollen into the air that wreaks havoc on many people’s allergies and on the exterior paint of your car. Pollen may be important to the ecosystem, but you don’t need it to coat your car in all its yellow or orange glory. A few flecks of pollen aren’t going to do much damage, but if your vehicle is coated in the flower powder, you might scratch your paint wiping off the blanket of pollen. Excessive pollen acts as an abrasive and it can also eat through your vehicle’s topcoat and paint.
Trees
Trees suffer through the winter storms and some are left damaged by Mother Nature. It’s best to avoid parking under trees in the spring because as they bloom, weakened branches can break away from the trunk and land on your car. Trees also produce sap in the spring just as flowers produce pollen, and this sticky stuff might make fantastic syrup if you’re parked under a maple tree but it will be impossible to get it off your car’s paint. In fact, you can pull off the paint when you’re trying to remove tree sap.
Tree Residents
Birds live in trees and they poop. Bottom line. Birds are particularly active in the spring because this is the time to nest, mate, and lay eggs. Birds will bomb your vehicle because they have nowhere to do their business; they just let it drop. Bird droppings contain uric acid, and this acid can damage your vehicle’s exterior topcoat and paint. If you want to park under trees for shade as the weather warms up, do your car a favor and invest in a quality vehicle cover to protect it from sap and bird poop.
Bugs can also be a problem in the spring when they splatter all over the front of your car. A good layer of wax will make it easier to remove them. Schedule spring preventative maintenance to protect your car’s engine, too, by calling Lucas Auto Care in Cypress, TX.
