Ah, summertime. Here in Southern California, we’ve got near-perfect weather year-round. Still, the summer season is wonderful: not too hot or too humid, with plenty of miles-long beaches to explore during the day and stunning vistas to park and watch the sun go down in the evenings.
But there’s one thing the sun doesn’t mix well with: your classic, luxury, or exotic car. That’s because the San Diego sun can do a number of the interior and exterior of your vehicle, especially if it’s stored outside.
This article discusses some of the potential damage the sun can have on your car, how to protect it, and why seasonal car storage is a great option.
Why You Shouldn’t Store Your Car Outside
Living in San Diego, the year-round sun is a huge perk. But the sun is also one of the biggest reasons why not to store your car outside.
The biggest culprit here is intense UV rays, which can affect your car’s interior and exterior over time. On the inside, the excess sun can cause the leather to fade and encourage cracks in the dashboard.
Mold and mildew can also become a problem, thanks to humidity and lack of airflow inside the vehicle as the sun beats down. Mildew can destroy your upholstery (and smell a little funky), drastically bringing down your resale value.
On the outside, the excess sun can cause paint peeling, oxidation, and fading.
How to Protect Your Car From Sun Damage
Below, learn about a few ways to combat the damage from the hot sun.
Keep Your Car Dry
Mold and mildew are primarily caused by excess moisture in and around your car, which provides the perfect breeding ground for spores to grow. It’s a common problem, but it’s also easy to avoid by keeping everything as dry as possible.
Seasonal car storage in a garage or keeping your car covered with a waterproof cover whenever it’s not in use can help protect it.
Keep Your Car Closed
You can help protect your car by rolling up all of your windows and closing all of the doors when you’re not using them. This helps prevent moisture and can also ensure dust, dirt, and other debris stay out.
Keep Your Car Clean
Your car is an investment, which is why keeping it clean is so significant. Avoid eating or drinking in your vehicle to prevent spilling food or liquids, becoming a breeding ground for mold.
Keep Your Car Protected
Take advantage of cleaning products designed to destroy mold growth! Regularly wiping down your car’s interior with antimicrobial products will help, as will using protective seat covers and floor mats to keep everything clean and protected. This is especially important if your options for summer car storage aren’t indoors.
Be careful, though: after cleaning and wiping down all surfaces, make sure everything is dry. A little leftover moisture is all mold and mildew need to start growing.
The Better Option: Seasonal Car Storage
Even with all of the precautions and tips we’ve shared above, there is no substitute for storing your vehicle in a professionally managed storage facility. In addition to protecting your car from the sun, season car storage provides even more benefits to keep in mind.
1. Protection From Theft & Damage
Did you know that the summer months see the most prominent incidents of car theft? It’s such a big problem that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration declared July as National Vehicle Theft Prevention Month to educate car owners on reducing theft.
Many of these thefts are due to driver error, such as not closing and locking doors and windows, parking in sketchy areas, or leaving valuables in plain sight.
To reduce the chances of getting your car stolen (or damaged in any way) is by investing in summer car storage with a professional facility. If you’re worried about accessing your vehicle, don’t be. At The Vault, we offer easy in and out privileges.
2. Ongoing Maintenance Assistance
It can be easy to forget all of the routine care and maintenance tasks you need to do each month. The summertime, especially, can wreak havoc on your tires, as the heat makes the air inside your tires expand and over-inflate. Your engine oil will also thin out slightly due to the excess heat.
The solution? Invest in summer car storage and take advantage of auto storage services like routine maintenance from our friendly professionals.
3. Climate Control
On a 70 degree day, the interior temperature of your car can get to a whopping 104 degrees in just half an hour. This temperature can climb even higher on hotter days, especially if you’re parking in direct sunlight.
With seasonal car storage at a storage facility like The Vault, on the other hand, your car stays at just the right temperature with large, indoor rooms. If you’ve done your research, you probably already know that this is one of the most significant differences between luxury car storage and traditional car storage.
Our indoor storage will protect your classic or luxury car from humidity and extreme temperature changes that can damage the vehicle, both inside and out.
Learn More About Summer Car Storage at The Vault
Whether you want to store a car for three weeks, three months or three years, The Vault can help.
When you choose The Vault as your summer car storage solution, your car will be in good hands with in-house washing, detailing, battery maintenance, tire pressure checks, car starting, and car exercising services.
If you’re ready to protect your car and learn more about your summer car storage options, contact us today