Car Damage Prevention Steps After Vacationing To The Beach

Car Damage Prevention Steps After Vacationing To The Beach, Enjoying the ocean offers many amenities. You get the cool breeze of the sea, the soothing sound of the waves and the beautiful views of the wonderful sea. But while life along the coast seems ideal, it's probably not easy in your car. In fact, certain environmental factors in coastal areas can cause or accelerate vehicle corrosion and damage.

Air damage and ocean paint
The coastal environment can affect vehicle paint. According to Steve Ford, The Car Guy, the combination of sun and salt air near the beach can destroy layers of the car. The reason for this is that hot sun increases the pores of the paint, which results in a greater absorption of salt moisture - and eventually more corrosion.

Moisture, dew and corrosion
John Rintoul, an engineer and resident of San Diego, said other parts of the vehicle, including calipers, nuts and bolts, could also corrode. Less than a mile from the sea, she spends her free time working with cars, motorcycles and scooters, providing an inside view of the damage caused by the marine environment. Salt moisture and dew are one of the biggest factors in corrosion, especially at certain times of the year.

"Winter is the worst because summer is much less drizzly night and morning," Rintoul said. "Water droplets create places where corrosion can occur, and salt helps accelerate corrosion."

Rintoul also noted that the longer their cars were exposed to the ocean, the greater the damage. "There's a honeymoon in about three to five years where you probably won't experience much damage," he said. "Then in five to seven years, small rust spots may develop on the cars." If you can replace rusty parts, such as bolts and nuts, ”he added, you must do so before corrosion weakens the parts to failure. However, if the car's body is severely corroded, Rintoul said that in his experience, replacing a car is cheaper than repairing and repainting.

Preventing ocean damage to cars
If you are moving to a seaside location or have just bought a new car you want to protect from the beach, you can take steps to reduce the damage to your car's salts. If you are just a few blocks from the beach, Rintoul recommends the following practices to prevent damage to cars caused by the ocean:

Park in the garage or use vehicle covers, especially in winter.
Wash and rinse regularly.
Do not discharge into sand or sea water. If so, rinse the bottom of the car with a hose after it has cooled down.
An oceanfront apartment can have a negative impact on your car, but if you understand why damage is occurring and take the appropriate steps to limit or prevent it, you can enjoy beach life with little corrosion on your vehicle.