Protecting Your Car’s Paint

New Jersey offers one of the most severe and corrosive environments for vehicles. Vehicles in New Jersey suffer a great deal of salt damage from three sources: the nearby marine environment, road de-icing materials, and industry fallout.

Road and marine salts are estimated to cause more than $14 billion in damage each year to American automobiles. New Jersey can receive more than six feet of snow in winter months -- and where there's snow, there's road salt. If you see or feel salt building up on your car, wash it within a few days to avoid the beginnings of corrosion.

Additionally, environmental groups such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the auto industry alike concede that acid rain, a serious problem in urban and industrial areas within the United States, also causes damage to automotive coatings. When the moisture evaporates, the acid remains -- often forming a blemish that looks like a splattered raindrop. Acid rain eats through a car's finish, permanently etching it. Annual precipitation in New Jersey averages about 46 inches, so it's important to wash a car soon after a rainfall. Once damage is done, the only solution is to repaint. Effects are most noticeable on vehicles with dark or metallic finishes.

If you park your car outside, drive long distances, or live in a heavily wooded area, you should also wash your car more frequently to avoid other damaging elements such as dirt, tree sap and even bird droppings.

--Written by the International Carwash Association

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