Things Your Car Needs When You’re Driving On Rainy Days

You’d think driving when it’s pouring is clever because you’re giving it a good wash without you spending a dime. However, what you do not realize is how detrimental this could actually be for your car’s paint.

Rainwater is not as strong when it comes to wiping off the stains off a car, it merely provides a light rinse which only creates mud and streaking. Even a strong rain does not have adequate pressure to remove dirt and there will always be a layer of grime that the rainwater won’t be able to dislodge. Overall, rainwater is not such a good idea as a way to wash your car. You actually need the high pressure of a commercial washer to remove all the dirt and contaminants.

Not only that, but too cold or too hot temperature can make your car paint expand and contract and then result to cracking. When this happens, it’d be easier for water or moisture to seep through the cracks and create rust.

Aside from that, rainwater forms by collecting several elements from the atmosphere. This means water isn’t the only things hitting your car when it’s pouring. You have other impurities that causes acid rain and deliberately exposing your car that is bound to cause trouble for you sooner or later.

So generally, there’s constant exposure of your car to rainwater that can lead to cracking, chipping and peeling off the paintwork. Aside from that, you can also end up with buildup of tough stains from the rainwater that can often be very hard to clean and premature rusting and corrosion. Having said all that, it’s not like there’s no way to avoid rainwater damage at all. Here are a couple of ways to protect your car from the negative effects of rainwater.

Line Your Car Floors

Wet and muddy floor carpets aren’t only icky but are also a pain to clean. Be prepared and never deal with unwanted debris, moisture, sand, dirt and grime in your car floor by getting floor liners! You can get floor liners that are custom-fitted and molded to the sides to every car. Aside from that, they can also keep sand, water and dust from getting into your car’s interior. Although you still have to clean them, you’ll probably only take 5 minutes to do it so it’s still much better than not having floor liners at all.

Treat Your Windows

You need to be able to see during heavy downpour, otherwise you’ll be more likely to have an accident. To help clear your vision on the road your windows should be as clear as possible and wipers as efficient as they can be. There are products that you can spray onto your windows and wipers so that they repel the water more and won’t cling onto them as much which will prevent you having to drive with blurry windows.

Get A Mudguard

Tires are constantly exposed to mud, dirt, rocks, salt, water, and other elements while you’re driving. Mudguards prevent these from entering the most sensitive areas of your vehicle especially the undercarriage which is prone to rust and corrosion.

Keep Your Car Moisture Free

When it’s raining you can’t help your car interior from getting wet. When this happens, you’re not only dealing with water getting everywhere but also mold or mildew smell which is definitely not good. Fix this by placing a small bag of charcoal under a seat and leave it there to help remove odors and serve as a dehumidifier. If you don’t have charcoal, baking soda works too. You can also buy dehumidifiers that will protect you from allergens and your gadgets and equipment from rust and corrosion. You should remember to include carpets in your regular car detailing, remember that they’re not built to last you a lifetime too. Change them yearly as much as possible.

Brighten It Up

Visibility is always important whenever you’re driving but even more so whenever you’re driving under low-visibility situations like heavy rain, nighttime with poor lit roads, or fog. So always check if your lights are working because they’re your primary source of light. Most importantly, you have to switch them on once you’re in any situation mentioned above. Aside from that, your signal and tail lights will keep you visible on the road and help your communicate with other drivers. As soon as you notice your headlamps aren’t in good condition, take the car to car servicing right away especially if the problem is not just the bulbs but in the electrical wiring's.

Cover It Up

If you can’t find any covered parking space, at least use a car cover so that your paintwork isn’t directly soaked in rainwater.

Get Car Paint Protection Treatment

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.

These accessories are practical and affordable to make your drive a breeze and efficient during the monsoon season. Shop practical, high-performance auto accessories for your wet weather drive. You’re not just preserving your car’s condition but also keeping yourself as safe as possible during this extreme weather.

Things You Should Remember When Your Car Breaks Down

It sucks but cars do break down at one point or another. But instead of crying, cursing, kicking the car, or whatever it is that you do when you get frustrated, why not do something that will solve the problem at hand?

The annoying part is cars will eventually break down and it is usually the worst place and the worst time for it to do so. To make matters worse, if your vehicle is not up-to-speed and experiences a breakdown that leads to a collision or any other type of accident, the fact that your vehicle was the one that malfunctioned means that you are the one liable for the accident. Sure, it may not be something you intended to happen, but in a court of law or insurance agent’s office that’s not a good enough argument. Here are some tips that will help you get through the day in case your vehicle decided not to cooperate today.

Know The Basic Precaution After Your Car Breaks Down

· Before anything else, make sure to pull up as far left as possible.

· Position your wheels to the left.

· Get everyone out of the car.

· Go to the left side of your car and stand there.

· If you’re with children or pets, be sure to secure them.

· Don’t forget to leave your sidelights on as well as your hazard warning lights. 

Always Carry Safety Equipment In The Car

People tend to hoard a lot of things in their car, which isn’t so bad considering that we spend a lot of time on the road. But before anything else, make sure you have emergency-essentials in your trunk first. A driver can bail out of a lot of sticky situations if he plans ahead. More often than not, things go south on you when you think nothing could go wrong. So it pays to hope for the best and plan for the worst, especially on the road.

You’ll never when a break down might happen, so carrying safety equipment all the time will come in handy once the need arise. Few essentials would be warning triangles, reflective clothing, blankets, phone charger, matches, first aid kit, and a snow scraper. But aside from those, always have a stash of cash, food, and drink. These will help get you by until help comes.   

Do Not Attempt Repair

Doing your own car repair is highly advisable for a lot of practical reasons. But there are certain car problems that you just shouldn’t take your chances, otherwise you’d end up spending more than you should and could risk more damage than you originally had. Unless you’re absolutely sure with how to fix it, it’s best to leave it. Trying to DIY could cause more damage than what you originally had to deal with. Here are some examples of fixes you definitely should leave to the experts:

Electrical Gremlins

You’d be wise to leave electrical repairs to the expert, except from replacing fuse or relay. Run-of-the-mill electrical repairs are so intricate that one mistake can make more things go haywire.

Fuel System Fixes

Fuel systems have the capacity to cause headaches, garage fires, and even unconsciousness. Rule of thumb: when dealing with fuel, use caution. Don’t attempt to do it yourself if you’re not sure how to do them properly.

Snapped Coil Springs

Coil springs can fail and when that happens you could be mauled by a rogue spring flying at your head. So unless you’re truly experience at replacing them, you might want to sit this one out and call for car servicing.

Don’t Force It To Start

Being stranded with a dead battery sucks. Having jumper cables in your trunk will save your day. They should at least let you get by and look for the nearest car repair if the case of your battery is more complex. But, you should keep in mind that forcing to start your car may cause further damage. So you might want to just let the experts take care of that. Because more often than not, there’s a lot more car repair necessary than simply getting the automobile to start. If you’re near a car repair shop or you can call for a tow away service then you might be better off opting for those, unless otherwise you really know how to deal with the problem yourself.

Bring Your Car To The Nearest Car Repair Shop Once You Get Help

Arrange transportation for you and your car to the car repair shop near the area. As soon as they can get their hands on your car, the sooner it’ll get fixed.

Unless you’re an automotive repair expert yourself, the first thing to do is contact a technician who can come examine your vehicle and figure out what the problem is. Take note of any local landmarks you can use to guide them to your location, and provide as much information about the problem as possible – sounds, smells, how it felt while driving, and so on. This may help the technician pinpoint your problem even before they arrive.

Many cases can be resolved on the spot, but about 40% will require being towed to a repair facility. Other fixes may be temporary – just enough help to get you there on your own. In a certain percentage of cases, mechanical breakdowns are immediately followed by a collision. You should be ready to deal with such events.