November 17, 2020
Summer car accessories take the heat out of summers. The punishing Aussie sun has made a few foes in its time. Cars are one of them. On a 35-℃ day, the inside of a car can easily reach a scorching 65 ℃ – surfaces, like the dash; up to 85 ℃!
OnlineLoans goes over some cool car accessories and investigates how to prepare cars for summer:
Key Points:
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Sun fades headlights but it’s easy to repair
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Car accessories can protect your car’s interior
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A/C regassing take about 45 mins and costs around $100
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Window tint laws vary by state and territory
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Sun damages car paint but it’s easy to prevent
What does it mean?
Preparing your car for summer means taking steps to prevent damage caused by the baking rays of the sun. It’s another step in keeping your car’s value high – a win in everyone’s book.
If you’ve made your dream car a reality, protect it with these car accessories and simple preparation:
Headlights
(source: itstillruns.com)
Car headlights get expensive quickly. You may have seen older cars’ headlights with yellowish discolouration, it’s UV damage caused by the sun.
Not only does it look disgusting, but it also reduces vision at night.
Fix: Faded headlights are easy to fix. There are home remedies out there that suggest polishing faded headlights with baking soda and toothpaste which may be worth a try. Headlight restoration kits are available that promise results.
Protection: Headlight film is a simple car accessory to protect your headlights. The transparent film adheres to the surface of the headlights, acting as a sacrificial layer of protection.
Windows
The glass itself is pretty resistant to the sun but your car’s interior can turn into an oven fast. Car accessories offer protection when parked and when driving.
Protection when parked
Reflective sun shades. Often silver-foil in appearance, they bounce the sun’s ray back outside the vehicle. These car accessories are excellent at their job and when comparing a sun-baked car without a sunshade, the difference is very noticeable. They are foldable and durable for easy storage.
Protection when driving
Window shades without suction cups. Car accessories fail when they leave your car in a worse state. Suction cups and adhesives often fail in hot weather or leave marks on windows.
Car accessories like the Enovoe window shade use static electricity to stick on windows. No clips, no adhesives, no suction cups and no marks on windows.
Window Tint
(source: caroutfitter.com)
“Is that legal?” is a common car accessory question. It can be a grey area but of course, there are laws.
Window tint darkness is measured in VLT (Visible Light Transmission). The higher the VLT, the more light passes through, the lower the VLT, the darker it appears.
For example, 80-90% VLT means minimal tint so a lot of light comes in. A 5-10% VLT means very dark tint and not much light comes in.
VLT limits per state in Australia:
Choosing a quality window tint means choosing a film of tint that won’t bubble and peel. Bubbles occur between the glass and tint film if it’s not installed correctly. Make sure to shop around.
A/C
The most important part of a hot car in most people’s opinion. Modern cars have excellent air conditioning but they can still struggle on hot days.
If your car’s aircon doesn’t seem as cold as it did last summer, it might be time for a regas. Below are some quick facts about regassing air conditioning in vehicles:
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New and well-maintained cars don’t lose or ‘use up’ A/C gas.
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It takes about 45 minutes to get your car’s A/C regassed.
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Depending on the make/model, prices are usually around $100
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Older A/C gas can harm the environment but newer ‘HFO-1234yf’ gas is much more environmentally friendly.
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The A/C requires power from the engine to run. Turning on the A/C is less noticeable with larger, more powerful engines.
Paint Protection
Sun damages car paint over time. It’s caused by UV rays degrading clear coats. Most cars have 3 layers of paint: The base coat or primer, the colour itself and a clear coat on top.
(source: 800newagain.com)
Some cars have unique features like special paint coats and require extra care but for the standard passenger car, there are car accessories that solve the problem of sun damage.
Ceramic Coating: ‘Spray on, wipe off’ products like Turtle Wax Ceramic Wax Spray Coating are simple to apply to vehicles and provide a layer of protection. They can increase shine and also bead water away. Most can last several months before needing another coat.
Wax: This car accessory has been protecting car paint for decades. Wax protects from sun and rain damage and gives your car a nice shine. Applying wax requires some time and elbow grease but the results are worth it.
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Tip: Apply a thin layer of wax to your paint. Let it dry to a haze and buff off. Double check window sills and panel gaps for the remaining wax you may have missed.
Car Cover: These car accessories work wonders for cars left out in the elements for long periods of time. Car covers can be tricky to attach in windy locations and are easier with two people but offer protection from sun, tree debris, dust and rain.
Summer Car Prep Summary
A car, for most people, is their first or second most valuable asset. It makes sense to protect your investments – one of those ways is preparing your car for summer.
If your car is losing its cool in the Aussie sun and you’d like to get an upgrade, start your car loan application with OnlineLoans and we’ll assist you in getting great rates that suit your needs.