How To Protect Your Car From Scratches?

Your vehicle is an expensive investment. While driving around, your vehicle might get some scratches that will reduce its overall value. If you are someone who likes to keep their car looking brand new and also flips to try out new models, you will need to protect your car from chips and scratches. However, that is a lot difficult to do especially if you live in a traffic congested area and drive a lot. To counter the issue, here is a list of some important tips to keep your investment protected. Probably the most important tip is to install a paint protection film on your car.

Wash Your Car Regularly

Washing your car regularly is one of the best ways to protect it from scratches. While the vehicle is driven on roads, streets, and highways, it is highly likely for dust and dirt to accumulate on the paint. With time, if the accumulation is ignored, it can lead to lots of scratches.

The reason is that dirt and dust particles tend to be rugged and rough. Plus, there is a difference in the type of dirt and dust particles as well. For instance, if you live in a region that has deserts in the surrounding, your vehicle will have to deal with a lot tougher conditions as sand is relatively a lot more rough.

A good way to wash your vehicle is by using a two-bucket method. You use two buckets. One has the cleaning solution while the other has water. This way, you will be able to lay off the dirt and dust in the water bucket instead of transferring them to the vehicle.

Utilize Proper Drying Technique

One common problem among vehicle owners is not utilizing the proper technique to dry the vehicle. It won’t seem like a big deal but it does a lot in terms of scratches. This is because when a vehicle is being dried, the remaining water is lifted and the cleaning tool or object directly comes in contact with the paint.

Therefore, you should invest in proper cleaning tools that avoid such damage. Plus, you should pat dry the vehicle instead of running the microfiber cloth across the paint. Moreover, you should also make sure to clean the drying clothes.

It might be that dirt, dust, or some other small objects are trapped inside the fibers. As a result, your vehicle might be scratched as you move the cloth across the vehicle to dry.

Avoid Automatic Car Wash

Some people due to time constraints tend to opt for automatic car washes. While this might seem to be a time-efficient way of getting your car cleaned but at the cost of damaging the paintwork. Automatic car washes are quite rough and deal with hundreds of cars daily.

This means that the fibers of the cleaning and washing machine will most likely contain dirt and dust accumulations. So, if that machine were to wash your vehicle as well, it could be that the paint gets scratched. Plus, automatic car washes are not preferred for repainted vehicles.

Furthermore, there are various chemicals in them which are good for cleaning vehicle’s bodies, but they can damage the wax and other protective layers on the vehicle. As a result, your vehicle’s paint will be stripped of its protective layer against external factors.

Install Paint Protection Film

Paint protection film is a good solution for protecting your car’s body from scratches and chips. It is also the most expensive and for the right reasons. Paint protection film is a thin layer of polymer that is applied over the vehicle’s paint for protection.

The installation process of the film is a lot different than the others. The process takes place in multiple stages and should be carried out by a team of experts. First, the vehicle is thoroughly washed and dried. Then, experts compound and polish the vehicle to remove contaminants.

Once that is done, the experts cut down the film based on the dimensions of the vehicle. Then, the expert uses a chemical and a squeegee to lay the film on the car. Modern paint protection films are self-healing, which means they can repair themselves by coming in contact with the UV rays if there happen to be scratches or swirls.

However, considering the demand, paint protection films are available in a variety of types out there. You should only opt for a certified installer who offers authentic products along with a guarantee and warranty of their work.

Consider Window Tint Film Installation

Auto window tints act as a protective layer for the windows of your vehicle. They provide privacy if you opt for a legal dark shade and also keep the glass from getting scratched too easily. Moreover, car window tinting Springfield can reduce heat penetration into your vehicle making it a bit cooler in summer which also increases the AC’s efficiency.

Use Ceramic Coating

If paint protection film is not an option considering the expense, you can opt for ceramic coating. As the term suggests, it is a type of chemical that is formulated as a coating to be applied on vehicles. Unlike the paint protection film, ceramic coating is in a liquid form.

But, to apply the coating, the vehicle has to go through the same preparation process. The thing with ceramic coating is that it might protect your vehicle from swirls but not scratches. This option is feasible for vehicle owners who do not drive in traffic-congested areas and already keep their vehicles well-maintained.

Use A Car Cover

Although manufacturers make sure the paint of the vehicles is strong enough to withstand external factors, if exposed regularly, the paint will become damaged. UV rays and bird droppings etc. are the worst enemies of paint. Bird droppings tend to contain acid and if left ignored will leave a permanent stain.

This means that if your vehicle is parked directly under the sun or a tree for shade, you should cover it with a cover. Also, you should cover the vehicle even if it is parked inside the garage. This gives the vehicle an extra layer of protection.

Perform Regular Maintenance

Performing regular inspection and maintenance on your vehicle is a must if you wish to protect the finish and resale value of your vehicle should you decide to sell it in the future. Ideally, you should perform a thorough checkup and maintenance at least once a week.

If you are not able to do that due to certain limitations, you can hire an expert. This is going to cost you money but a professional’s hand will ensure your vehicle is protected. Plus, if there are minor scratches or swirls, the expert will remove them for you. Otherwise, you will have to put in effort to remove them.

Conclusion

Protecting your vehicle from scratches requires putting in time and effort one way or the other. Considering the price of vehicles nowadays, you must keep your existing vehicle in brand-new condition. If you have the budget, you should install PPF by finding a good paint protection film installer Springfield and make sure the vehicle is properly covered when parked. Such practices can go a long way in terms of keeping your vehicle’s value from nosediving.

Car Paint Protection: Ceramic Coating vs Wax

When it comes to auto paint protection films, there are two important products that are used by detailers and car fanatics around the world, ceramic and wax coating. Both share different characteristics and the application method varies as well. We are going to differentiate between the two and see how they can help protect your vehicle.

What Is Wax Coating?

When it comes to applying wax to a vehicle, the most popular type is carnauba wax. It is basically a refined wax that is derived from a palm plant native to northeastern Brazil. Naturally, the wax is used to provide protection to the tree against the UV rays of the sun.

Therefore, the carnauba wax protects your vehicle the same way it protects the tree. However, when refined, carnauba wax produces extreme gloss and shine. It is also used by shoe polish, automotive wax, and dental floss industries.

Originally, carnauba wax comes in yellow and brown flake form that is then mixed and blended with solvents to improve solubility and oils for lubrication. On the other hand, Montan and paraffin waxes are also commonly used in the auto industry. But you might have never heard about them as they are commonly used as ingredients.

What Is Ceramic Coating?

Over the years, ceramic coatings have taken over the detailing industry by storm. Back in the day, waxes were used to keep the cars looking shiny. However, there was a slight problem. Waxes are not that durable when compared to ceramic coating.

They need to be applied every week or month, to help maintain the shine of the vehicle. In addition to that, most waxes are designed to just offer shine. On the opposite, ceramic coatings are engineered to provide protection.

With that said ceramic coatings tend to be comparatively more expensive than traditional waxes. The reason is that ceramic coatings require extreme skill and techniques for proper bonding and curing etc. While traditional waxes can be applied at home or anywhere else. Moreover, unlike car window tints, you don’t need to worry about the legality of the ceramic or wax coating.

Ceramic coatings need a proper dirt-free environment. Plus, they need sufficient time to cure as well.

Common Differences Between Ceramic Coating And Wax Coatings

Wax Coatings Are Less Costly Than Ceramic Coatings

The prime benefit of wax coating is the low price. You can get a wax coating done on your car or truck at the 20% cost of ceramic coating. For instance, if ceramic coating costs $1000 including installation, you can have a wax coating on your car done for $200.

Ceramic Coating Lasts Longer Than Wax Coating

Wax costs less, but it only serves you for up to 8 weeks only. Your car’s exterior won’t be protected after 8 weeks and you will need to consider a new layer of wax coating for paint protection and glow.

Ceramic coatings can last for 6-12 months. So, you will need to go to an auto tint shop Springfield less often for paint protection. Moreover, if we consider the cost and lifespan of wax and ceramic coating, both cost the same. However, the paint protection ability of ceramic coating is higher.

Wax Coating Provides More Shine and Glow

Many car and truck owners consider car paint protection films for improving the appearance of their vehicles. If the strength and durability of the coating are no concern for you and you want the best shine and glow, go ahead with a wax coating. It gives your vehicle the wet and glow look.

Ceramic Coating Provides Better Protection

Wax coating wears off quickly with the weather, car washes, and other elements. It’s a thin coating and may not protect your car from scratches and swirls.

Ceramic coating is more durable and forms a transparent shell over your car’s paint. It protects your car from all the elements it can be exposed to like weather, sunlight, water, soap, debris, and heat.

A huge advantage of ceramic coating is UV protection. The paint job of cars fades or discolors more quickly for cars that are exposed to sunlight more often. This is due to the UV rays damaging the color and fading the paint job. Even if you apply wax to your car, your car’s paint can fade with enough exposure to the sun. With ceramic coating, your car’s exterior and paint job will not be affected by UV radiation.

You Can Touchup Ceramic Coating

Ceramic coating lasts longer than waxing. However, another advantage of ceramic coating is that it can be touched up should an area wear off early. There are SiO2 sprays that can cover the exposed or worn parts of the ceramic film and extend its life.

You can touch up wax coating. If an area of the car wears wax coating early, you will need to redo the wax coating.

Ceramic Coating Requires More Care

Ceramic coating last longer than wax, but it requires more care as well. Both of these coatings are hydrophobic. Water and any liquid won’t stick to them and slide off them. However, if you don’t wash your car often, your ceramic or wax coated car will appear dirty anyway.

Wax coating doesn’t last for many weeks so if you don’t care for it, it may still give you a few weeks. However, ceramic coatings are costly and should last for a year. So, you need to wash your car regularly and drive carefully to make sure the coating doesn’t get damaged.

How To Apply Wax Coating On A Vehicle?

The application instructions may vary depending on the manufacturer. Regardless of the consistency of your wax, you should always use an applicator pad to apply it. This ensures that the wax is equally applied.

In addition to that, the application of the wax also depends on the right temperatures. Most waxes need to be applied in a cool and shaded area. Vehicle owners may also choose to wax their cars in the summer but it is best to apply in a shaded area.

Waxing your vehicle under the sun or in extreme heat will leave deep marks. This is why temperatures between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit are recommended.

How To Apply Ceramic Coating On A Vehicle?

Applying ceramic coating is slightly different from applying traditional waxes as mentioned earlier. The thing with ceramic coatings is that you need to ensure that the coating bonds properly to the paint. If it doesn’t, the coating will not last long.

To make sure, experts first thoroughly perform paint protection to remove the previous waxes and existing contaminants. Meanwhile, the vehicle needs to be parked in a dirt-free environment as dust particles can influence the bonding process of the coating.

Depending on the condition of the vehicle, a detailer might have to spend days if not weeks, paint correcting the vehicle. Once the correction is done, the vehicle undergoes an intense polishing and compounding process to remove clay mark swirls and other minor scratches.

A customer may choose to get one, two, or three coats applied. However, the more coats, the more the curing time required. Depending on the weather condition, you may not be able to drive your vehicle for a few days until the coating is cured.

Conclusion

The difference between ceramic coating and traditional wax lies in application methods, price, durability, and purpose. If you want to keep your car’s paint protected for years to come, you can opt for ceramic coating by visiting a protective car film shop Springfield. However, if budget is a concern, you can opt for carnauba wax.

What Are Metalized Car Window Tints Why Are They Not Legal

If you want to have shades for your car windows in the form of tints, there are many types auto glass tinting to choose from such as dyed tints, metalized tints, hybrid tints, and ceramic tints. We will discuss more about metalized tints in this blog and why are they illegal.

Metalized Auto Window Tints

These films have two layers. One layer is used to protect the vehicle from UV rays. The second metallic layer blocks light and heat and keep your vehicle temperature balanced.

Pros Of Metalized Tints

They Add Strength To The Window

The fact that metal particles are used as layer to form this tint, it also makes the window stronger once installed. In many cases, it makes a window shatter-proof. This increase security of the vehicle as well because breaking the window would be harder for intruders.

Heat Reduction

The metal layer ensures top-notch heat prevention and reduction. This may help you relax your car’s AC in summers.

Block UV Rays

Similar to other high-quality window tints, metalized tints also block UV rays. You won’t have to worry about sun burn, skin cancer, or other side effects of increased exposure to the sun when driving.

Cons Of Metalized Tints

Highly Reflective

Owing the metal element in the tint film, metalized tints they are highly reflective. They look like a mirror and may seem stunning in photos, but reflective windows are a security hazard. That’s because due to reflectiveness, other drivers and law enforcements can’t clearly identify the number of people in the vehicle. This is the reason why metalized tints are illegal in the US.

Block Radio Signal

Another con of the using metal in the tint film is that it interferes with or blocks radio and cellular signals. If you don’t want to have a bad phone service, avoid metal tints.

Which Car Widow Tint Film Is The Best?

If you can spend some extra bucks, ceramic tinting is the best option. It has an adhesive layer bonded with a thing ceramic layer and on top of that, a protective layer.

Benefits Of Ceramic Window Tinting

UV Protection

It has been pointed out earlier that continued exposure to the sun without any filter for UV rays can cause skin and eye damage. It also accelerates the fading of the vehicle’s interior.

Ceramic car window tinting blocks 99% of the harmful UV rays reducing the risk of eye and skin problems.

Reduced Glare

Sun glare while driving on the roads is not only irritating, it can cause an accident any time. Ceramic tints are designed to reduce glare and harmful effects of sunlight. A ceramic tinted window will only allow 50% of the light into the vehicle keeping the vision clear and the ride safe. This effect also applies to night when headlights of other cars distract a driver, these tints keep things safe.

No Signal Problems

Metallic films have the problem of interfering with signals. Ceramic window tints don’t share this problem owing to the fact that metal isn’t used in manufacturing these films. They are made of ceramic particles and don’t interfere with any kind of signals. So, you won’t experience a dropped call due to signal problems inside the car.

Durability

Noticing car window tints turning yellow or scratched every year or so is worrying. It means you’ll be replacing car window tints ever year which is time consuming and costly. Ceramic tints are pricier than other types, but when installed correctly, they can last for years.

The ceramic coating of these tints is made of nanoparticles which are durable. They provide a similar security that metal tints provide against theft without their side effects.

Privacy And Protection

This is a basic benefit which all tints provide except clear window tints. Because of the shade, you won’t worry about prying eyes.

Moreover, the ceramic coating makes the glass shatter-proof. In the event of an accident, the glass may break, but it won’t shatter. This will avoid shards of glass injuring the skin.

Conclusion

Metalized tint are durable and block heat and UV rays, but they are highly reflective and cause signal interference. You should ask your car window tinting shop Springfield to install ceramic tints due their numerous benefits.

Advantages of car window tints

Are you considering to get auto glass tinting? Well, why would you not. After all, every car owner wants their vehicle to look sizzling and dashing on the wrong. Since we see all types of cool cars with tints on, window tints have become a symbol of both class and the elite. As a result of this, an increasing number of car owners are now getting window tints installed on their cars.

However, you may be wondering what are the advantages and disadvantages of window tints? This is something genuine to think, as before taking a decision, you should learn as much as you can.

Ultimately, this will allow you to make a more informed decision, and hence get more value out of your car tints. In case you are overwhelmed with so much information that is available on the internet, do not worry because we have you covered.

The benefits of having car window tints

In this article, we put together the major advantages and disadvantages of window tints. By reading all of these, you will be able to figure out whether car window tints are suitable for you or not. These include the following:

Privacy and security

Above anything else, privacy and security is the top priority of every car owner. Somehow, window tints tend to reduce the visibility inside the car. As a result of this, if you are leaving your valuables inside your car, you do not have to worry. Furthermore, it also provides a lot of privacy to the passengers in your car.

So even if someone wants to change their clothes inside, there is nothing to worry about. This is about the window tints will provide them the shield that they need. This way, nobody can invade your privacy in your vehicle.

This is the major reason why celebrities and politicians tend to have their cars tinted for the privacy and security that it offers.

Protects your skin

As mentioned before, window tints tend to block the harmful UV rays out. As a result of this, your skin stays protected from the harmful rays and the risk of develop skin cancer reduces significantly. Sun exposure can also lead to a wide range of other skin issues that include skin cancer, sagging, wrinkles, and a lot more. So, make sure that you are protecting yourself from the harmful sunrays by getting auto tints.

Cool temperature

Window tints tend to block out the harmful electromagnetic rays from the sun to a good extent. Furthermore, they also reflect most of the heat outside. As a result of this, the car stays cool on the inside as a big number of rays from the sun are blocked out. This is especially beneficial if you are living in a tropical country.

Consequently, you will be able to drive with greater comfort and ease. There is one big problem that many drivers without an auto glass tint have. It is that they may have to wear sunglasses to avoid the gleaming sunrays. However, if you have window tints, they do this job for you.

Ending note

In this article, we have included all the advantages that you should know. However, there are some slight disadvantages too. For instance, these tints may reduce visibility during the night time. At the same time, tints are susceptible to fading over time. Furthermore, some stats have strict laws related to the use of car window tints. So, there are some disadvantages too, just like everything else. Nevertheless, in order to get the best value, always make sure that you are getting high quality tints from a reliable car window tinting shop Springfield. Since this is about your car’s appeal, never settle for a poor job.

What should you ask before getting window tints on your car

Well, let us admit it, auto window tinting looks amazing! Have you ever seen a not so nice car coming in the street with tinted windows? Well, in such a case, the car would automatically look very nice to you. And now, since you are reading this article, chances are that you are already considering joining the ranks of the ‘cool and shady’.

But are you ready to get window tings on your car? When it comes to window tinting, there are a number of factors that you have to consider. In case you want window tints only to make your car look fancy and trendy, then you may end up disappointed.

The questions that you should ask

In this article, we have put together a number of questions that you should ask before getting window tints. These include the following:

How much would you spend?

When it comes to window tints, price is a big consideration. So, let us begin with the price. Well, window tints are not specifically very expensive. This is even true for all the high-end brands. On average, the price of window tinting would be from $100 to $400.

However, before you buy window tints, it is better to stay honest to yourself. Can you really afford it? In case you only have about $100 to spare, we suggest you wait for a little. You will be much better off spending that money on steak and taco dinner nights.

This Is because lower end window tints are not just cheap, they also look cheap. This would totally defeat the purpose of having window tints (and it will certainly not make your car look supreme either). Literally, everyone recognizes the guy from the block with cheap window tints. So, do not be that guy.

Ask yourself, if the tint is of high quality?

There is a big reason why rich people do not buy clothes from Uncle Smith’s Irregular Sweatpants Shop. While sweatpants and clothes are not our areas of knowledge, quality makes a big difference. On top of that, quality also shows itself.

In case you buy cheaper tints, people will end up knowing that in no time. And this is something that you should not want.

In fact, tints should be considered as a big investment. In this case, you would want something that does not only improve the aesthetic appeal of your car but also lasts very long. So, do not hesitate at all to spend extra on the quality. Trust me, you will not be disappointed at all.

Is there a warranty?

Well, never buy car tints without a warranty. The car tints without warranty may end up cracking and peeling at the first instance of bird poop on your car. Consequently, chances are that you will not end up very happy.

There are a number of window tints brans that give warranty for free. In case you buy from such a brand, you will be able to cover materials that are faulty. At the same time, you will also be sure that the stuff that you have bought is of great quality. This is primarily because businesses that offer warranty will not want to lose money. Hence, they produce high-quality stuff at their best.

Ending note

There are countless other things that you should ask yourself before getting both window tints and car bodywork protection film Springfield. However, the three questions mentioned above are a big requirement and the basic ones. Once you have an answer to all of these questions of yours, you shall start exploring further and dive in a little deeper.