7 things that will damage your car paint job

Your paint job is arguably the most important factor in how good your car looks. If you intend to keep it in pristine condition, here are 7 things you should absolutely avoid.

1. Sun damage

Leaving your car parked out in the sun for extended periods of time can cause ugly whitish spots to form in your paintwork. For those who park in open-air carparks at home or at work, you might want to invest in a car cover (or grab those coveted sheltered spot).

You can also help stave off sun damage by regularly washing, waxing, and applying a sealant on your car.

2. Scratches

This is a really common form of paint damage and happens when something grazes or comes into contact with your car’s paintwork. This can happen from something as simple as a rock chip from driving or if you bump into something.

The main protection from paint scratches is to add an extra layer of protection such as paint protection film.

3. Paint swirls

One of the most common types of paint damage, this can occur when wiping your car with a dirty or dry cloth, or when the surface of your car has a lot of contaminants. Wiping over a contaminated surface or with a dirty cloth can cause micro-scratches in your paintwork which may appear as swirl marks.

You can prevent this by ensuring your washcloths are clean and by claying your car first to remove any contaminants.

4. Tree sap

If you see little sticky spots on your car, especially after parking under a tree, chances are your car’s been hit by some tree sap. You’ll want to clean these spots up as soon as possible because once they harden, they'll stick to your car’s paintwork and it can properly mess it up later on.

You can prevent this by avoiding parking under trees, using a car cover, or waxing your car for an extra layer on top of your paint.

5. Bird poop

Everyone hates bird poop. And in tree-lined Singapore, bird poop is a common and annoying occurrence that is not only gross, but can damage your paintwork too. If you’re heng/suay enough to get hit by some, clean it off your car before going to buy 4D.

You can keep yourself safe from being assaulted by bird poop by not parking under trees or putting a car cover on. (Because bird poop is icky and everyone knows what it looks like, we are just going to skip the photo of this one.)

6. Paint fading

Paint fading can happen naturally over time with catalysts such as constant parking under strong sunlight, or using harsh or overly strong chemicals when cleaning. You can keep paint fading at bay by regularly cleaning, polishing, and waxing your car. Using a car cover or parking in the shade will also go a long way to help.

7. Damage from premature rusting

Rusting is a natural process that occurs when the metal bits of your vehicle are exposed to the elements. Bare metal on your car is usually coated with paint or some other type of solution to prevent the onset of rust, but over time, these may chip or peel which reveal the bare metal underneath.

You can keep your car from premature rusting by remedying issues such as clear-coat peeling, paint chips, scratches etc. early on before it gets worse.

This article was first published in Motorist.