How to Protect Your Vehicle from Scratches

01 Aug How to Protect Your Vehicle from Scratches

There are a lot of ways that your vehicle can get scratched, from microabrasion to scraping up against another vehicle. 

Believe it or not, there are almost as many ways to prevent scratches as there are ways to get scratched. We’re going to go over a few of the most basic ways to avoid scratching – some of them might be surprising to you. They’re all incredibly useful. Let’s get started.

Wash your vehicle

You’ve probably been washing your vehicle for the sole purpose of having it look nice and clean. Can’t fault you for that – who doesn’t love a fresh looking ride? But what you may not have known is that, if you’re doing it right, you’re actually protecting your vehicle from scratches.

By washing your vehicle, you get rid of road salts and other dirt and debris before they can scratch your vehicle. If you’re using the right car wash solution, you’ll also lubricate your vehicle, reducing the chances of microabrasions. You can protect the body, and even your rims and wheels, simply by washing your vehicle regularly. 

Once you’re done washing, you’ll also want to apply wax – it acts as an extra protective layer to stop scratches. Optimally, you’ll even want to get clay bar detailing – but not everyone has the budget or time for that.

Wrap your vehicle

Plastic wrap adds yet another protective layer to your vehicle. Now, you might think of wraps as colorful affairs best used for advertising. That’s a common misconception – while there are extraordinarily colorful (and sometimes gaudy) wraps, you can get a clear plastic wrap.

One of the advantages of these wraps is that they can be self-healing. In the heat, plastic can begin to melt. That won’t result in any loose plastic hanging off your vehicle, but it can lead to melted plastic filling in any small scratches that develop. Pretty handy!

Park defensively

You’ve heard of driving defensively – assuming everyone else on the road is drunk can lead to less accidents. Accidents are really bad. You know there’s always an insurance increase after an accident, you can end up in serious danger – and don’t get us started on the scratches.

But did you know you can park defensively?

Basically – park as far away from everyone else as possible. Leave as much room for yourself as possible. Does that mean you’re going to have to walk half a mile to get to wherever you want to go. Maybe. But it might be worth it if you don’t want to get scratched.

Buy some accessories

You can get mud flaps to stop tire spray from hitting your vehicle – even small cars can use them. You can buy a car cover to protect your car from falling tree sap and bird droppings. You can buy soft bristled snow brushes to keep your car from getting scratched when you wipe snow off.

We could keep going – there are a lot of anti-scratch accessories – but you’d be here all day!

These are just a few of the many ways you can keep your vehicle from getting scratched. And if you end up with a scratch on your windshield, get in touch with us – we can fix it before it becomes a crack.