When it comes to winter, we all know the importance of preparing our home, sprinklers, equipment, and toys. We put everything away that we won’t use or don’t want ruined. However, the one thing that’s often missed is our car, which is oftentimes our most expensive asset aside from our home. Some people might wax them to prepare them for the winter, but I will explain why that’s not enough for Idaho’s harsh winter conditions.
The Impact of Snowy Or Icy Roads on our Vehicles
Road Salt
Road salt, while helpful in keeping the roads safe and free of snow, can also be a double-edged sword when it comes to your vehicle’s paint. Salt residue collects on the paint, under the wheel wells, and in the cracks and crevices of the vehicle. If left on the unprotected paint, this will lead to corrosion and eventually rust. You might not even see it until it’s too late and the paint is too far gone.
Snow and Ice
Snow and ice in themselves might not be harmful, but the way of removing them often is. The most common ways to remove the ice and snow are with an ice scraper, shovel, and broom. These might seem helpful, but they will cause minor to severe scratching to the paint they come into contact with. Also, snow and ice can help hold other contaminants in the vehicle’s paint, resulting in paint etching and clear coat damage.
The Best Way To Winterize Your Car
So, what is the best way to take care of these issues without damaging your paint? A ceramic coating offers a solution for all the problems stated above. A ceramic coating is made up of two main ingredients, SIO2 and TIO2, which make up the hardness and slickness needed to keep the car clean and protected. As the coating cures and gasses out the carrier solvents, the remaining product is a hard glass-like shield that acts as a sacrificial layer and protects the clear coat from environmental contamination or man-made contaminants such as the road salt and ice melt we see over the winter. The coating also prevents the ice from sticking to the paint, allowing it to be removed much easier and without the use of harmful tools.
Conclusion
Here at Zaugg’s, we offer annual winter prep packages to help our customers maintain their cars and keep them looking their best over the winter. Ever see those cars that always seem to be shiny and clean over the winter? This could be you!