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What Can Heavy Rainstorms Do to Your Car's Finish?

What Can Heavy Rainstorms Do to Your Car’s Finish?

Rainwater isn’t nearly as clean as it looks. As rain settles on the surface of your car, dirt and debris will collect on your paint and eat away at its usual shine. This buildup can eventually lead to damage as dirt and dust erode at the body of your car. This erosion will primarily affect your paint (and eventually the steel underneath), making your car appear dull and old. 

There are ways to prevent rain damage, such as ensuring your car is cleaned and waxed before a heavy rain. What do you do if you didn’t get a wash ahead of time? How will the rain affect your car’s appearance and functionality if you’ve made the mistake of leaving it out in the rain?

Keeping your car entirely out of the rain is all but impossible, but we have a few tips on how to keep your vehicle from suffering the worst aftereffects of a vicious rainstorm if you are ever caught in one. Let’s take a look:

What Sort Of Damage Can a Rainstorm Cause? 

The idea that rain alone can damage the surface of your car may seem laughable at first. Your vehicle gets wet when you wash it and isn’t damaged, so why would rainwater damage your car? 

Well, for starters, rainwater isn’t just water. While the water in the rain itself likely won’t damage your vehicle, the dirt, dust, and minerals left behind as it dries will cause your paint’s finish to lose shine over time. Rain contains more than just water, and all of the other salt, minerals and dust are left to sit on the surface of your car after rainfall begins to evaporate. 

Rain can also cause damage to other areas of your car that you wouldn’t expect. Windshield wipers, locks, and other moving parts exposed to rain may have small metal bits out in the open. If those metal parts are exposed to rain and not protected, they may rust and bind up over time, ceasing proper operation. 

Some types of rain can even be acidic–This means that the rainwater’s pH is extremely low. Particularly in the Northeastern United States, pollution from large cities and power/industrial plants causes the rain to be highly acidic. This rain can be even more dangerous for your car’s finish as well, as now not only are you contending with dirt and debris left behind by rain, but you’re also contending with the chemical imbalances that can seriously harm your paint job. 

This might not seem like too big of a deal until you notice your car loses the shine it once had. It might begin to look dull and dingy, even with washing and waxing. You might end up facing a costly repair if it isn’t looked after promptly. If you’re leasing your car, it can even mean excessive fees at the end of your lease term. 

How Do I Prevent Rain Damage? 

Keeping up with routine cleaning of your vehicle is the best way to prevent rain-related damage. However, there are a few other steps you can take to ensure you’re as prepared as possible when it comes to preventing rain damage. 

First, if you know heavy rain is coming, have your car polished and washed just before it rains. That way, dirt already on the surface of your car is removed and you also ensure that a fresh coat of wax protects your car from rain-related erosion. 

Second, a soon after heavy rain, you should get your car washed (and waxed, if possible) again. This will prevent damage from any dirt or minerals left on your car by the rain and ensure your car is as protected as possible. Many car washes even offer free re-dos if it rains within a few days of your first wash. 

Routine once-monthly polishing will also ensure water-related damages won’t ruin your car’s paint. You should also use a spray anti-rust lubricant on any exposed metal on your car, like door locks and windshield wipers, to ensure they won’t rust due to exposure from the rain. 

How To Deal With Rain Damage? 

Getting your car fixed after rain-related damage can be a bit annoying. Not only do you need to address potential rusting issues, but you’ll need to address the finish issues to your car’s paint. 

But what if that rainstorm you were prepared for turned out to be hail, leaving dents all over your car? What if your door got dinged by a shopping cart during the wind of a rainstorm? These dents aren’t exactly predictable or preventable like rainwater is. 

JM Dent Repair can help. Our paintless dent repair services ensure that the finish you’ve worked hard to keep remains in top shape while restoring the body of your vehicle to its former (undented) glory. 

You won’t have to worry about mismatched paint or paint fading over time due to improper body work because paintless dent repair doesn’t touch your paint at all! Our PDR techniques allow your car’s actual paint and finish to remain, despite any minor dent or ding being removed entirely. 

Are you interested in paintless repair services? Contact us for a quote and let’s get your ride looking like new again. We won’t tell anyone she’s had some work done.

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