6 Tips for Protecting Your Car When You Live Near The Coast

Being lucky enough to live in Florida is, obviously, often quite beautiful. But there are some nasty weather effects that can darken even the sunniest of Florida days, and they can have a real impact on the condition of your vehicle.

There are fortunately plenty of ways to protect your treasured car from damage in the first place, or to repair damage to the family SUV when wear and tear gets the best of you.

Step One Auto is here to help if your convertible needs work, but here are some tips for keeping your vehicle in tip top shape while residing in a coastal environment.

1. Clean That People Hauler

Routine maintenance is critical to having a long-lasting vehicle. Unfortunately, oil changes, tire rotations, and other simple mechanical upkeep isn’t enough. You’ve got to keep your vehicle clean. You don’t need to take this to a level where you’re cleaning your AC vents with a Q-Tip on a daily basis, but here are some steps you should have in place to maximize the life of your vehicle here in coastal Alabama:

• Wash your vehicle’s exterior regularly to keep the dirt down and the shine up. You don’t have to spend hours, and the occasional trip through a car wash will likely be enough.

• Hit your vehicle with an occasional coat of wax. You can apply it yourself or have a professional really invest time and energy into this process. The wax offers a level of additional protection while helping your crossover look its best.

• Break out the vacuum. Consider sucking up the crumbs and dirt that accumulate once a month or so. You might get lucky and find some spare change.

• Clean the inside of your windshield. Dirty interior glass can actually be a safety concern – have you ever caught a nasty glare when the sun’s at just the right angle? It can be worse when your windshield is dirty. This is a piece of routine upkeep that many owners skip.

Our basic thought here is that paying more attention to the cleanliness of your vehicle makes it more likely you spot a problem like rust (it can definitely happen, even here in Florida and coastal Alabama) or paint chips.

2. Repair Rust and Paint Chips Quickly When You Find Them

Rust can form on its own and paint chips can eventually lead to rust, but a key to vehicles lasting a long time near the coast is to quickly address either of these concerns when you find them. You can take a passive role in ownership and hope to notice them, but being proactive and finding them on your own is a better approach for longevity.

Paint chips are going to happen – they can even punch through the paint protectant films available on the market if luck isn’t on your side – and there are a few ways to address them:

• Wax the vehicle for that layer of extra protection and a temporary fix

• Hit them with touchup paint – your Step One dealership should have this available in their parts department

• Have the damage professionally repaired.

Rust is something of a different story, and can be a much larger concern than a paint chip (or seven.)

Your vehicle might develop surface rust that may seem like a minor concern. But consider that surface rust may indicate a variety of issues, and that even surface rust can spread and become much more troublesome.

If you see rust on the underbody of your vehicle, or anywhere else that concerns you, we strongly suggest having your vehicle assessed by a professional automotive repair shop.

Your brake pads may occasionally show some light rusting, and our auto repair shops will be happy to assess whether that is a concern.

Being proactive when it comes to rust and paint chips can help keep your vehicle on the road for many years to come.

3. Protect Your Vehicle with a Cover

This gulf coast sun can be a real bear, and the UV rays that beat down can impact the lifespan of your paint and interior. Storing your vehicle in a garage is a simple solution to this challenge, but what can someone do when there’s no garage space available?

Why, invest in a quality vehicle cover, of course!

There are many options for weatherproof vehicle covers available out there, and you can also find one to fit any budget. There are generic covers that will fit any sedan or truck, but you may want to research custom covers designed specifically for your ride.

Dig deep enough into car cover options and you’ll find companies who can also protect your motorcycle, RV, golf carts, ATVS, and jet skis from the sun’s deleterious effects.

Think of a car cover like some high-quality sunscreen for your vehicle and invest wisely.  It only takes a few minutes to apply when you need it, and the benefits are absolutely worth it in the long run.

4. Prepare for Storms and Possible Hail

Our weather can be a bit unpredictable, and hail is an unfortunate bit of precipitation that can really ruin your day. A garage – perhaps one with hurricane shutters over the windows – is of course the best protection but Step One is a group of realists, and we know you might not be able to park in one.

Have you researched inflatable car covers as a way to protect from damage from reasonably-sized hail impacts? This market is growing and there are multiple companies who can help you stave off the possibility of a truck covered in dimples.

There are also inflatable bubbles that use a layer of air to protect your vehicle from many outside elements.

If the hail is big enough, and enough of it falls, there may not be much you can do to protect your favorite coupe. But the right inflatable vehicle protection might be the right step if you’re looking for the protection of storm shutters but don’t have a garage in which to park your ride.

5. Remember to Close Your Windows

It rains here. A lot. But we’re also often compelled to leave the windows down in our vehicles because it’s often just so dang comfortable to drive around that way.

But a sudden cloud burst can quickly add an unwelcome amount of water to your car’s interior if that rain falls while your windows are still down after a cruise to the beach. (Your blog writer once left their convertible top down on what turned out to be a rainy afternoon. That was no fun!)

Water left in a vehicle for prolonged periods of time can certainly introduce some interesting and undesirable smells, but it also opens up the possibility of the formation of mildew and mold. Those aren’t any good, and dealing with them could involve replacing big chunks of the interior of your vehicle. You don’t want that, we don’t want that, no one wants that.

So, friends, the next time you head to the beach, or the mall, or the golf course please put up your windows. All of them!

6. Choose the Right Vehicle Body Shop

If the weather, or just time, has gotten to your vehicle, Step One Auto Group has the fix you need. We can help with windshield replacement and many of our automotive dealerships have professional auto body shops available as well.

Plus, we employ the best mechanics in this part of the country and our service departments will expertly diagnose and fix your problems.

Check out our multiple Service Centers or contact our Parts departments to get your maintenance needs handled by the pros!