Every car owner hopes that their beloved car will last long and reduce the cost of repairs. To achieve this, one must learn to scientifically maintain their car. However, in the process of car maintenance, there are often situations where people think they are maintaining their car but end up damaging it instead. Some cases even damage the paint protection layer, leading to peeling and rusting. After reading the following incorrect maintenance methods, car owners can check if they have such improper behaviors.
Misconceptions:
1. Washing the car under intense sunlight damages the paint.
Many car owners like to wash their cars under the sun, thinking that the water on the body dries quickly after washing. In fact, washing the car under the sun causes the water droplets to form a convex lens effect, creating localized high temperatures on the top layer of the car paint. Over time, the car paint will lose its luster. If waxing is done at this time, it can also cause uneven coloration on the body. Therefore, it is best to wash and wax the car in a shaded area. If that cannot be guaranteed, it is best to choose overcast days or mornings/evenings on sunny days.
2. Washing the car thoroughly harms the air conditioning.
When the weather temperature rises, dust increases, and the car body gets dirty easily, the frequency of car washing also begins to increase. Many car owners hope to wash their cars as thoroughly as taking a bath themselves. However, it is important to keep the car air conditioning dry. If the air conditioning gets wet accidentally, it will affect its lifespan.
3. Acid rain damages the car paint; correct car washing prevents harm.
The sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and suspended particles in the polluted urban air mix with rainwater to form acid rain with a pH value between 4-5.0, which greatly damages the car's body coating. After being exposed to acid rain, the car body is covered with a layer of acidic deposits mixed with dust and dirt. When combined with morning dew, it will again produce an acidic corrosion phenomenon. Continuous exposure of the car body paint to acidic substances will lead to complete corrosion of the gold oil layer, causing the vehicle to lose its luster entirely. Regular car washing using the correct method reduces the time that acidic substances stay on the car body, providing the most comprehensive protection for your beloved car.
4. Frequent washing also damages the paint; be cautious with polishing and beautification.
Under normal sunny conditions, the car can be washed every 5-8 days if it’s not very dirty. If washed every 1-2 days, the life span of the car paint will only be 50%. Wash the car promptly after rain or snow to prevent corrosion. Polishing itself damages the paint, so choose a reputable place for beautification. Beautification at small shops equals disfigurement.
5. Over-tightening bolts leads to permanent deformation.
There are many fasteners on the car connected by bolts and nuts, which should have sufficient pre-tension, but they should not be tightened too much. If tightened too much, on one hand, it will cause the connecting parts to deform permanently under external force; on the other hand, it will cause the bolt to stretch permanently, possibly resulting in slippage or breakage.
6. Too tight fan belts increase bearing load.
When the temperature is too high, some drivers think increasing the tightness of the fan belt improves engine cooling, so they continuously increase the tightness of the fan belt, unaware that doing so is harmful. The fan belt should be kept moderately tight because excessive tightness increases the bearing load, consumes more power, bends the water pump shaft, stretches and deforms the belt, shortening its lifespan.
7. Imported tires may not be suitable.
Some people especially emphasize "imported" when buying tires. Foreign new model tires are not very suitable for domestic users. There are significant differences between European roads and domestic ones, and tires suitable for European road conditions may not perform well domestically, just like wearing Italian brand leather shoes on gravel roads - side tire bulging is inevitable. After some foreign brands produce tires jointly in China, they add a layer of curtain fabric on the tire side according to domestic road conditions, significantly enhancing the side impact resistance. Jointly produced tires can completely replace imported ones in terms of performance.
8. Circular waxing produces poor results.
Many people habitually use a circular motion when waxing the car body, which is an incorrect method. The correct way to wax is in straight lines, alternating horizontal and vertical lines, and finally applying in the direction of water flow. This can reduce the appearance of concentric circular halos on the car paint surface.
9. Using laundry detergent to wash the car damages the paint most severely.
Seeing staff wash diligently with bubbles flying everywhere, many car owners believe that any dirty car can be fixed by sending it to a car wash. After washing, it looks clean from the outside. If you want to know what the car wash uses, you can pinch and smell those bubbles with your fingers. You'll find it's laundry detergent! Laundry detergent is an alkaline cleaning agent that greatly harms the car paint. If laundry detergent is used frequently to wash the car, the car surface will gradually lose its luster. By the time the owner realizes the car has been damaged, it will be too late.
10. Correct car washing makes your car more brilliant.
Car washing might seem like the simplest step in daily car maintenance for us, but this seemingly ordinary process can bring serious consequences if not done correctly, eventually harming our beloved car.
11. Choosing the right car cleaning agent is crucial.
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