The sun, its UV and heat beat down pretty hard on Australia and there are reasons for that. The summer sun in Australia is up to 10 percent stronger than on similar latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere because ozone-depleted air from Antarctica’s ozone hole often gets moved to Australia.
There are therefore many things we should be doing to protect ourselves from the sun, but we also have to protect some of our possessions around us, especially our cars. The sun and heat do all kinds of potential damage to our family vehicles. Here are some ways you can better protect it from the sun and heat.
1. Window Tinting
Heavy window tinting is illegal in most states, especially on the front windows and windscreen. You can still get a good amount of tint on many of your car’s windows, however, and if you choose a high-quality film from the best car window tinting services in Sydney, Melbourne and other major cities, then you can still expect very impressive results.
Window tinting will help to keep the interior of your car cooler, as well as filtering out the UV rays which can dry, crack and discolour your vehicle’s upholstery. It also makes things a bit more comfortable for rear passengers, who are often your kids, and that means more peaceful and comfortable car journeys all round.
2. Window Shades
For the windows that you can’t tint, it’s not a bad idea to purchase a reflective sun shade. Many models are made with universal fits that offer terrific protection against UV, excess heat, and more. They may even help obscure the interior of your car enough to put off a would-be car thief while they’re scoping a parking lot for a new car to steal.
These are an affordable and easy-to-find option available from virtually any good car accessories supplier. The biggest advantage when you find good-quality shades is that they are removable and fold away for easy storage in your glove compartment, under the driver’s or front passenger seat, and/or in the boot. Probably the most important thing they offer is keeping out UV rays that can discolour the upholstery, and even crack the dashboard material, depending on what it’s made from.
3. Covered Parking
At the very least, parking out of direct sunlight is a great way to boost your protection. So, find shaded spots wherever you can, but be wary about the shade offered by trees. Parking for long periods near trees increases the chance of your car getting pooped on by birds, but also if it rains, then the rain water brings additional run-off from the trees that can be bad for your car’s paint.
The ideal situation is to always park up in your own garage or carport at home, and in indoor parking facilities when you’re out and about. Underground parking usually offers the most ideal, cool alternative to the overheated outdoors. If you have to park in spots where direct sunlight may get to your car, then use reflective sunshades (see above) and/or whole car covers if the sun is going to be especially strong and the car is parked there for a long time.
4. Cover and/or Condition Your Seats
Finally, to protect your car seats and upholstery, an extra thing you can do besides use a sun shade is to ensure that you apply fabric protector on your seats, or conditioner for your leather upholstery. For maximum protection, why not consider full seat covers. These are quite popular now, not just for protection but as a way to customize and personalise your car without any complex or potentially warranty-busting mods.
