This summer has seen some unprecedented extremes of temperature – and we’re likely to see more records set in future summers. This has a whole range of startling implications, among which is accelerated wear and tear for motor vehicles. If you’re leaving your car out in the blistering sunshine, or you’re stuck in gridlocked traffic during a midday scorcher, you’re decreasing the lifespan of your car, overall. This goes especially if you’ve recently invested in a used car and don’t want to cause any damage to the vehicle.
So, what can be done to limit the effects of hot weather on your car? Let’s look at a few strategies.
Park In A Shaded Area
Wherever possible, you should park your car out of direct sunlight. This might mean in the shade of some trees, or in a garage. This will result in a car that’s far cooler when you get back inside, especially if your upholstery is dark leather. You’ll also prevent the paintwork from fading too quickly.
Of course, it isn’t always possible to find a parking spot that’s shaded. If you’re living somewhere without access to a shaded parking spot, then you might even consider moving – or building yourself a garage.
Keep Your Aircon Working
The air conditioning in your car might be the only thing keeping you comfortable during a long drive. If you’re putting in lots of hours behind the wheel, then the aircon will prevent you and your vehicle from becoming overheated. This applies especially if you’re wearing formal office attire – you don’t want to arrive at your destination feeling uncomfortable.
Air conditioning can fail for a range of reasons. The refrigerant gas might leak, or the compressor might give out, or the thermostat might begin to fall out of alignment. Whatever the problem is, it’s fairly crucial that you seek to solve it sooner rather than later.
Invest In A Shield
If you don’t have a means of keeping your car out of the sunlight while it’s parked, then you might prevent sunlight from getting in by putting a sunshield across your windows. This is especially useful if you’ve got very young children in the backseat, whom you don’t want direct sunlight to fall onto.
The same applies to tinted windows, which will exclude a portion of sunlight that strikes the vehicle. While it might not be a game-changing modification, it will make the difference. Bear in mind that there are strict legal restrictions on how tinted your windows can be – make sure that you abide by them.
One part of the car that you might give special attention to is the steering wheel, especially if it’s black. When the weather is really warm, you might simply drape a towel over the top of the steering wheel to keep it cool for when you get back in!