Tunnel car washes are a major cause of paintwork damage.

Automatic car washes, as much as they are convenient, are abrading your paintwork because the brushes used aren’t properly maintained.

Maybe the truck before you just finished an offroading venture?

These machines are essentially like slapping your car with a dirty mop, causing hundreds of deep micro scratches called swirl marks.

Over time, this damage builds and eventually results in your paint becoming dull and the scratches become easily noticeable. 

Repairing the swirl marks is done through a process called paint correction, enhancement, polish or compound normally done with a DA polisher. This process cuts down the peaks of any scratches to level out any swirl marks seen on the surface. This process can only be done so many times due to a car’s clear coat being a certain thickness. So after this process, it is important to maintain it. ie: ceramics, graphene, wax coatings and sealants.

Once your car is protected, elements from the environment usually just wash right off with a regular maintenance wash, even water spots.

Since your vehicle now has a second layer of protection. But not just any slick second layer of skin. Most products used now have come a long way in R&D and can resist elements from the environment from damaging and adhering to your vehicle's surface better than ever before.

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Excessive Sunlight Damage, Heat and UV Rays.

Dashboard issues

The combination of ultraviolet radiation from the sun alongside the terrific heat that can build up inside the car can cause a lot of damage, which is likely to cost a lot of money to repair. Your vehicle's dashboard gets some of the longest exposure to sunlight, and the heat on the dash is intensified by the windshield. The dash can become faded relatively quickly, and can lose its flawless appearance. Some commonly used materials can split or crack under intense heat, leaving the whole area looking very unsightly.

Upholstery problems

Similar problems can affect the seat upholstery in the car. Leather seats quickly age when exposed to the sun. The color is likely to fade, which can be very noticeable on black or dark seats. Over time, the heat and sunlight will also dry out the natural oils in the leather, causing it to dry, stiffen and crack. The leather used in car seats is often treated to be more resistant to sun damage, but this can only really delay the inevitable if the car is continually exposed to sunlight.

Mind the paint

Your car's paintwork is also at risk from excessive sunlight. Darker paint colors, like black, red, or blue, are particularly susceptible to damage from the sun. Over time, the paintwork of most cars will fade and lose its color if continually exposed to the sun. Plastic parts on your car's exterior are equally vulnerable when it comes to sunlight. Parts like bumpers, fenders, mirror covers and luggage racks are often overlooked when it comes to protecting the car, but will also fade over time.