With the record temperature highs across the country, Penske customers have been stopping by our dealerships concerned about their car interiors. Many customers feel their cars just don’t have a chance in this sizzling heat because of lack of shade, dark interiors or dark paint.
We’ve found that even though manufacturers spend huge resources on hot/ cold weather testing, there is no replacement for the real world driving environment. So valuable Penske customers here are some tips to help you protect your car in the scorching heat and mitigate sun/heat damage.
Firstly, block out damaging UV rays. Heat is one thing, but destructive, long term damage to interiors (and exteriors) occurs with extensive exposure to UV rays. This can be accomplished with a windshield sun shade. Don’t forget you may also want to consider rear window.
We realize this might not be a popular suggestion but if you have dark color vehicle you might want to use old white bed sheet. This will not only shade the interior, it will keep the sun off the paint as well as lessening the heat load in the cab.
Another possibility is to keep the windows cracked about half an inch. This is a judgment call, as some people are nervous to leave their vehicle possibly vulnerable to intruders.
This all sounds like no-brainer stuff, but here’s the rub: if the vehicle’s interiors are not protected, oils will be pulled out of the vinyl and leather. This leads to faded colors, cracked surfaces and brittle materials.
Also, while we are addressing heat and protecting your vehicle from heat damage we recommend that you don’t wash your car in direct sunlight. The hot metal will dry the soap and water mixture on the paint, leaving stains on the surface of the clear coat paint. Also when pesky birds leave “droppings” on your car clean it off as soon as possible. The acids in the “droppings” eat though clear coat layers leaving indentations that cannot be removed without radical repair.
Good luck staying cool this summer and protecting your Penske car.
