Reasons Why You Should Polish Your Car

Polishing is one of the most misunderstood paint care procedures and as a result many individuals skip this important step. Polish is an abrasive compound, which, when worked into the paint using the hand or a polisher, shaves off imperfections of the paint. It levels out the surface and makes it smooth, thereby preparing it for the next step of applying wax or paint sealant. If you wax without polishing the surface first, not only will the paint look dull, but you will also notice that the wax layer will wear off quicker than usual. So ultimately it is a huge waste of your time and resources. Because polish is abrasive as mentioned above, it is important to master polishing techniques especially if you are using a rotary buffer, or you risk burning right through the paint.

Increases The Value Of Your Car

Every time you do something on your car to either upgrade its look or performance, it either maintains or increases its value. By polishing your vehicle after washing it you increasing its value because it removes stubborn dirt that are difficult to do so by just washing.

Brings Out The Bright Color Of Your Car Again

Since car polishing is an abrasive compound, it helps remove imperfections off the paint. By scratching off the topmost layer of paint, polishes help reveal the bright color of your car again and leaves behind a glossy surface.

It Eliminates Minor Imperfection Like Scratches

It’s such a bummer when your beloved car’s good looks get ruined due to scratches. When this happens, it loses its shine, it appears worn out than it really is and no longer looks covetable. The thing is that it doesn’t even take an accident for your car to get scratches, even bird poop that you failed to clean soon enough or loose stone that hits your car while driving can cause that. But don’t worry, car polishing removes scratches and creates a perfectly clean and even surface that also shines more brightly.

You Don’t Have To Do It As Frequently

Car polishing effectively removes surface impurities as well as under-surface imperfections, therefore the procedure needs to be repeated only 2-3 times per year, depending on the initial condition of the paint and on the location where you usually park the car – cars kept in the garage are more protected, so they don’t need too frequent polishes.

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How To Maintain That Showroom Gleam Of Your Car

How To Maintain That Showroom Gleam Of Your Car

We can’t really help the kind of weather you’ll have in the place you live. Whether you have four seasons or two extreme weathers, all you can do is take extra step to protect your car from these. Whether it’s summer or not, once the sun is up it can easily warm up the entire space. Do you know why it seems like when the temperature inside any establishment seems to be higher than when you are outside? That’s because of the windows because they’re making it easier for the outside temperature to penetrate as well as the harmful UV rays that can cause damage to you skin. But the help of heat resistant window tint, 67% of the sun’s heat will be reduced which reduces cooling cost by 30% too.  It can also spare you car’s upholstery from premature damages which, of course, saves you money from repair or repurchasing if your car is tinted.  

But before you worry about your car’s interior, remember that the first thing the sun hits is your car’s paint. So you should take steps in order to protect that just as well as you try to prevent sun from messing with your interior. Here ways for you to do that.

Don’t Expose Your Car To The Sun If It’s Not Necessary

If you’re not driving or using the car, always park it somewhere covered. This is the easiest and cheapest way to prevent UV damage to your car’s paint job.  Even a warm garage beats being parked in the sun all day. So whenever there’s an available garage, use it. Not only that your interior will stay cool, but your paint job won’t suffer to premature damage either. Also, when you’re washing your car make sure you don’t do it under direct sunlight. Remember that the water and cleaning agent is already making your paint job vulnerable, don’t mix UV rays into that. And when you can’t find a covered parking lot, use a car cover to at least give a barrier for your car’s paint from the sunlight.

Apply Paint Coating

Another way to protect your car is via paint coatings. Paint coatings are relatively new and are one of the up and coming leaders to car detailing in the automobile industry. It serves as an all in one protective layer to a car’s paintwork and UV ray protection is included in its specifications along with many others. It is able to keep your car’s paint looking polished, comparable to that of a showroom standard car and the best thing is that no re-application is required at all as it is highly durable. With this paint coating in place, you will not need to go through the regular hassle of consistently finding sheltered parking lots or frequent waxing sessions for your car. 

Watch Out For Bird/Animal Dropping

Aside from the fact that having your car splattered with bird droppings looks completely disgusting, it can also lead to damage on your paint. Try not to park under tall trees. But if you happen to catch your car with droppings already, remove it right way using warm, soapy water and gently rub using microfiber cloth.

Avoid Rough Roads And Don’t Use Dirty Cloth When Cleaning The Car

Microfiber cloths may be the most recommended material to use for cleaning your vehicle but if it’s dirty it may cause chips and other damage as well. So make sure you clean it before using it on your car. Also, you might want to avoid driving on rough roads if possible since small stones or rocks may hit the surface of your ride which can result to scratches. Or if there’s no other route, just drive more carefully.

Avoid Spillages When Refueling or Topping It Up With Brake Fluid

Without gas and brake fluid, you won’t be able to drive your car. However, when these substances come in contact with the paint, it can also peel it off.  So whenever you have to refuel or top it up with brake fluid, try to avoid spillage. Wash your car right away if it happens, though.

Stay Ahead Of Issues

Whatever the problem with your car’s paint, do not wait too long to get it fixed, especially if the car’s body has been exposed. If you wait until chips and dings on your car turn into rust before you take care of it, prepare yourself for bigger problem and heftier car repair costs. Without protection, the bodywork of the car can begin to corrode. Regular cleaning and drying of the car will be sufficient to handle most problems. Plus, it gives you the opportunity to inspect your car for more serious damage.

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6 Common Problems In Your Cars AC Unit And What To Do About It

6 Common Problems In Your Cars AC Unit And What To Do About It

When you live in a tropical country, driving with your air condition unit running is must. That is unless you like driving uncomfortable and drenched in your own sweat. Just imagine your AC unit not working properly, everyone from the driver to the passengers in the car will suffer. So it should be among your car concerns to get to know your car air conditioning more.

1. Consume A Lot Of Gas

Having air conditioning unit in your car makes driving around in tropical countries easier. However, despite the comfort that it provides it also means you’re consuming more gas at a faster rate, especially during summer because the unit has to work harder to keep your car cool. But if you get your windows tinted, you’ll be able to save money and gasoline. Window films blocks not just the sunlight but as well as the heat from penetrating your vehicle, so you wouldn’t have to run the AC unit on full blast just to keep the interior cool.

2. Your Filters

We know it’s necessary to replace air filters because dirty ones restrict airflow and causing the AC system to run longer and use more energy. But only some actually do this. Be more diligent and make a reminder of it on your calendar so that you don’t ‘forget’ to do it every month.

3. Vents

The distinctive smell of mildew flooding out of your air vents is usually caused by a build-up of bacteria and mold. This can happen to older cars that have had bacteria growing behind the dashboard for years and in cars that rarely run the air conditioning, as they don’t enjoy the drying effects that it provides to excess water on the coils. So if you do your own car cleaning, make sure you clean your car AC vents too.

4. It Won’t Turn On

Driving when the AC unit is not working can be an unpleasant experience. On extremely hot days, an air conditioning system can overheat and this can cause the fan to burn out. A broken dial can also affect your ability to switch the auto air conditioning on, as well as a broken switch, a stuck valve, a wiring fault, a blown fuse or an obstruction in the air ducts. So if you’re having this issue, it’s best that a professional can take a look at it fix the problem and not let it get any worse.

5. AC System Is Blowing Hot Air

This can really suck because if there’s anything worse than an AC unit not working at all is an AC unit blowing hot air instead of cool air. When this happens, you’re probably looking at variety of reasons like damaged cooling fans, a blocked or broken condenser, an internal obstruction, an electrical fault, and/or low refrigerant levels. When this happens, it’s best that you take your car to a trusted car servicing center right away to get it checked and fixed as soon as possible.

6. It Won’t Turn Off

This doesn’t seem like a problem until you’re getting too cold behind the wheel and you’re consuming way too much fuel than you usually do or your car’s battery gets drained because the AC keeps running even with the engine switched off. The culprit behind this can range from faulty or loose ribbon cable, broken controls / dial stuck in the “on” position, broken selector switch, shorted blower resistor, shorted blower motor relay, shorted a/c controller, and/or shorted blower control circuit.

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Signs That Says Your Car Has Taken A Lot Of Toll From Potholes

Signs That Says Your Car Has Taken A Lot Of Toll From Potholes

Potholes aren’t only annoying, especially when you failed to notice and avoid one while driving so you end up surprised by it because of the impact, but it can also be detrimental to your car in the long run. If the areas you drive around regularly have a lot of potholes, then that mean your vehicle is regularly taking damage from them. Pothole damage may not be obvious right away, but it can wreak havoc on your entire car if it’s not addressed quickly and fixed right the first time. So it pays to learn the signs that could indicate pothole damage so you can get them fixed early on. Here are those signs and what you can do about it.

· The vehicle rolls or sways on turns.

· When braking, the vehicle’s front-end dives or ‘dips’.

· The car’s rear end squats when speeding up.

· Vehicle steering pushing or pulling.

· The automobile “bottoms out” or thumps on bumps.

· The vehicle shakes or vibrates in any way.

· The automobile sits lower in the front or rear.

· There’s a loss of directional control during sudden stops of the car.

· The car is leaking or has signs of physical damage, such as rusting or damages.

· The automobile bounces or moves sideways on a winding, rough roadway.

What To Do When Your Car Show Signs Of Pothole Damage

Car repairs can be expensive but it doesn’t have to be unreasonably expensive if you just avoid the mistake of ignoring early signs of damage and letting it go unrepaired for too long. Sometime expenses go out of hand because you delay repair and maintenance procedures for your automobile thinking you’re saving money by doing that. What you fail to realize is that by brushing off suspected damage, you’re practically letting it get worse which results to bigger problem later on and obviously more expensive repairs.

What you should do is take your vehicle to car repair shop as soon as you notice any of the mentioned signs of pothole damage above to get it inspected. When the mechanic diagnoses your car as positive on pothole damage, then do not delay or prolong repair or replacement for car parts when the car servicing personnel suggest it. After that, make it a habit to do a run down once in a while, check how the tires, lights, is there any kind of strange sound when you drive it, or anything out of ordinary at all. Spotting irregularities early on could save your car from serious damage in the future and a lot of money on car repair.

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5 Things That You Should Know About Car Waxing And Polishing

5 Things That You Should Know About Car Waxing And Polishing

We can’t really help the kind of weather you’ll have in the place you live. Whether you have four seasons or two extreme weathers, all you can do is take extra step to protect your car from these. Paint protection in Singapore’s tropical weather will prevent your paint job from fading fast, it also keeps it from expanding and contracting which results to cracking where water or moist can seep through the cracks and create rust. When it comes to paint protection, there are different ways to do that. There’s car waxing, car sealant, as well as paint protection coating.

1. Positive Prep

To get the smooth paint job finish that we all want on our vehicles, it’s not only the waxing and polishing that matters, preparing the exterior of your car is important too. Wash the exterior of your car using the bucket of soap and water. This will keep any dust and dirt from causing any abrasion on your car’s paint or get in the way of a smooth paint job finish. Don’t forget to wipe it dry.  After that, sanding the area is an important step you can’t skip out because it smoothens the area you want to work on which allows a consistent look when you apply the new paint. To further break down the area you want to work on and prepare it for new paint, use a scuffing pad. Scuffing pads create a rough surface, which is easier for the paint to stick to. Rub the scuff pad along the surface back and forth until the surface feels rough to the touch. Mask up areas where you don’t want the paint to get onto like the headlights. You can do this by using the masking tape and newspaper or plastic sheet.

2. Thin Film Of Wax

When it comes to waxing your car, less is definitely more! If you haven’t waxed your car before, it may be best to let a professional do it because it takes control and skill to apply the thinnest layer of wax to make sure that it cures evenly. Piling on too much wax on one go can make the wax less effective. Use the tiniest amount and keep burnishing it until it’s barely visible.

3. Add Some Coats

Once the first thin layer of wax has dried and cured, buff it and repeat the process. The best way to be the best result when waxing a vehicle is to build up the application than applying it all on one go.

4. Towels Are Important

You probably already know that microfiber towels are the only towels that you should use when working on your car. That said, you should still make sure that the microfiber towel that you’re using are the clean and right washed ones. Don’t use a dirty towel even if it’s microfiber.

5. Removing The Wax

Buffing can be made more difficult by over-application of wax, allowing it to dry too long or other accidental issues. If you do happen to run into problems with the wax being too dry and hard to remove, you can always mist a quick wet wax over the top or add just a touch of wax over the top to soften it all back up and get the wax ready for removal.

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8 Steps That You Can Easily Follow 

To Remove Brake Dust From Alloy Wheels

8 Steps That You Can Easily Follow To Remove Brake Dust From Alloy Wheels

Brake dusts accumulate over time. If you don’t want that to start making your car look awful and start causing damages which might require you to visit the car repair shop, it’s best that you try to set aside some time to clean that off. We say set aside because brake dust don’t easily come off with your regular car cleaning agent that you use when washing your vehicle. If you didn’t know that and it surprised you, don’t worry because it’s not exactly rocket-science either. All you have to do is follow these simple steps and you can definitely handle this on your own and at the comfort of your own home or garage.

Step 1: Prepare The Things You’ll Need

You’ll need the following:

· Wheel Cleaner (Specific To Type Of Wheel)

· Clean Towels

· Hose And Nozzle

· Soft Bristle Brushes In Various Sizes

· Wash Glove Or Mitt

· Bucket And Sponge

· Wax

Step 2: Prepare Your Garage Or A Makeshift Roof

Whenever you’re cleaning or doing any kind of grooming on your vehicle, it’s always best to do it in your garage or at least somewhere that’s out from direct sunlight. This way the wheels stay cooler and won't dry before you're done cleaning.

Step 3: Rinse The Wheels

To start off, go get the hose and nozzle to spray rinse the wheel and loosen up any heavy dirt and debris. Doing this prevents those things from scratching the wheels when you start giving it a good scrub.

Step 4: Spray The Brake Dust Cleaner For Rims

Always make sure to use a brake dust cleaner specific to the type of your wheels. Read the instructions on how to use the cleaner and follow them carefully in order to get the best result.

Step 5: Start Gently Scrubbing The Wheel Surface

Once you’ve let the cleaner soak according to instructions, get your soft-bristle brush and or washing glove mitt to start gently scrubbing the wheels’ surface. Try to reach every nooks and crannies of the wheels as you scrub.

Step 6: Rinse The Wheel With Water

When you’re done with that, get the hose again to rinse out the brake dust cleaner along with all the dirt. As you rinse, if you see any spots that you missed simply repeat steps four through six.

Step 7: Don’t Skip Drying

Always towel dry after cleaning to prevent water marks and get a thoroughly cleaned wheels.

Step 8: Apply A Layer Of Vehicle Wax To The Wheel Surface

Once you’re satisfied with the wheel’s appearance, and it’s completely dry, apply a layer of vehicle wax to the wheel surface, following the wax manufacturer’s directions. The wax helps prevent brake dust build up and makes it much easier to remove during future cleanings.

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Dos And Don’ts Of Cleaning Your Car

Dos And Don’ts Of Cleaning Your Car

Just because you clean your car doesn’t mean you’re doing a good job   with it. Sometimes, because people don’t know how to properly clean their cars, they end up damaging it. Remember that even if you do clean your car, it doesn’t count if you’re not doing it right. Here are some dos and don’ts in car washing that you should keep in mind.

Dos

Choose The Right Cleaning Agent

It’s a must that you only use car cleaning solutions. Buy a car shampoo that works specifically well with getting stubborn dirt and grime off your paintwork without causing damage.

Make Sure You Dry The Car After Washing It

Yes the sun and wind can easily dry your car, but letting your vehicle dry that way will leave unsightly water marks which renders your hard work useless. Use a microfiber towel or preferably a weave drying towel to absorb the water and dry the car.

Clean With A Clay Bar

Washing your car with water and car specific cleaning agent is a great way to prevent any dirt from causing damage on the paint. However, even after washing, some contaminants still cling to the paint. To totally get rid of them, using a clay bar is the way to go. Using this product is very easy but time consuming. Many clay bars in the market come with a lubricant but if it does not, there are products that you can purchase separately. It is extremely important to lubricate the surface first to enable the clay to glide easily across the surface. You’ll know it’s working because the clay gets dirtier as you go because of all the contaminants it’s grabbing.

Seek Car Polishing

Sure, we’re talking about car washing. But car polishing is also an important part of keep your vehicle pristine looking. Polishing is one of the most misunderstood paint care procedures and as a result many individuals skip this important step. Polish is an abrasive compound, which, when worked into the paint using the hand or a polisher, shaves off imperfections of the paint. It levels out the surface and makes it smooth, thereby preparing it for the next step of applying wax or paint sealant. If you wax without polishing the surface first, not only will the paint look dull, but you will also notice that the wax layer will wear off quicker than usual. So ultimately it is a huge waste of your time and resources. Because polish is abrasive, it is important to master polishing techniques especially if you are using a rotary buffer, or you risk burning right through the paint.

Don’ts

Using Dish Washing Liquid As Cleaning Agent

You have to remember that your car is made of completely different materials than your dishes or clothes, etc. So don’t assume that the cleaners that you use to clean the rest of your house will also do with your car.

Using Abrasive Cloths

Always use microfiber cloths when cleaning your car. It only takes a rough towel or dirt on a towel to scratch your precious paint job. Do not risk it and make sure you’re always using clean microfiber cloth to wipe your car with.

Cleaning Under Direct Sunlight

If you think that cleaning your car under direct sunlight is a good idea because it will reduce drying time, think again. Yes it may help dry the car fast but it can also cause smears, water spots, and residue which are never a good idea for your car.

Removing Missed Patches With A Drying Cloth

It happens to the best of us: you rinse your car, only to find you’ve missed a bit. But, instead of reaching for the cleaning cloth (the recommended solution), you attack the spot with your drying cloth – a big no-no. By rubbing a mucky mark with a dry cloth, you’ll effectively work the dirt into the paint, or at the very least cause a stubborn swirl mark. Remember – never clean your car with a dry cloth.

Applying Products Directly To The Paintwork

The golden rule is to dilute and apply to cloth first. Dilute cleaning products to water and apply polishing products to cloth first. Don’t even think of cutting this process short by applying the products directly to the paintwork. The damage that over-applying of products may cause is not worth the seconds you may have saved on cleaning. 

Thinking One Bucket Is Enough

Always use two buckets when cleaning your car, one for washing and one for rinsing. It just doesn’t make sense to use the same water filled with dirt and suds to rinse the car.

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