Here’s how to protect your paint from potential parking dings and dents
Protecting your car’s paint goes beyond professionally applied paint protection. Factors like maintenance, cleaning, and upkeep have a lot to do with how your car looks through the years, but there’s another big culprit you need to be wary of: parking.
The folks at Cilajet care deeply about maintaining a car’s finish, so it’s important to address parking mishaps since it’s one of the most common ways paint can get damaged.
Let’s look at some tips to keep your car safe when parking, especially when you have to park in public.
6 Parking Tips to Keep Your Car’s Finish Looking New
Ceramic coatings can protect against many things, but a poor parking situation isn’t one of them. Use these tips to help you maintain your car’s pristine exterior.
Avoid parking on the street
Passing traffic, walking pedestrians, vandals, street sweepers — there is no shortage of dangers when you park on the street. All it takes is one unruly driver (or a teen with a learner’s permit) to sideswipe your ride and leave your car with lasting scars.
Your car is a sitting duck when you park on the street. Whenever possible, try to use parking garages instead of parallel parking, even on less busy roads.
Don’t park near other cars in lots
You’ve seen it plenty of times — those huge pickup trucks edging their way into spaces meant for compact cars. Or worse, the guy who parks as close to the line as possible but thinks it’s okay because “he’s inside the lines.” Who needs to open the car door all the way, anyway?
When possible, try to park in an empty portion of the parking lot. It might mean parking farther away from where you want to go, which means more walking. But you can avoid door dings, dented bumpers, and passersby that might inflict damage (intentional or unintentional) on your precious ride.
Utilize garages
Parking in garages (at home or when you’re out and about) keeps your car out of the elements. At home, your car can stay in the garage undisturbed and away from rain, bird droppings, UV rays, tree sap, and any other number of hazards that might damage its paint.
Public parking garages tend to have little foot traffic. People tend to navigate parking garages in direct, concise ways, so your car isn’t likely to experience much activity once parked.
Avoid unkempt lots
The way a parking lot looks can tell you a lot about its safety — and whether or not you should park there. Unkempt or poorly maintained lots aren’t just messy; they can also damage your car.
There’s no telling what’s lying amongst the debris, like nails or broken glass that could puncture a tire. Hidden potholes aren’t good for your tires or suspension. Other cars might also kick up loose rocks or chunks of pavement, which could damage your vehicle.
It’s best to stick to parking lots that look like people use and maintain. At least you’ll know where you’re parking is likely to be safe for your car.
Park under lights
Street lights and lot lights may seem like they paint a target on your car. But in reality, lights are actually a deterrent from potential break-ins or vandalism. Criminals may feel less inclined to disturb a car that people can plainly see.
It’s not a totally foolproof method. But you may be able to reduce your chances of intentional damage to your vehicle when it’s parked in a well-lit area.
Avoid parking near cart returns
Shopping cart corrals have good intentions, especially if you love convenience. But keep in mind that a wayward cart is a ding, dent, or chip waiting to happen. You can’t always trust others to do the right thing and return their cart correctly.
Park Like a Pro
Paint protection goes beyond just washing, maintenance, and coatings. You need to play good defense and prevent issues from occurring, which will allow you to enjoy your car’s appearance for longer.
Follow the above tips to keep your car looking great and maintain its value long term.