Author: David Maillie
The average car now costs over $30,000. The average monthly car payment is now $430 and the loans are near 6 years long on average. With taxes, fees and insurance thrown in the average monthly cost of a car is similar to that of a mortgage payment. Being that we are spending this much on our cars we need to take a renewed look at car care and treatments that will increase the longevity of these major investments. Sadly, many people neglect their cars and there is little, if any, car care done. Rust can happen anywhere in America (it isn't just a problem for northerners). It is also easy to prevent with a little proper car care.
Everyone hates rust and complains about it, but when you look at their cars, little if anything is ever done to stop or prevent it. As evidenced in clinical studies and research by the big 3 auto manufacturers, its not a question of if. It's a question of when. Whether it is salt and snow, salty ocean air, industrial fallout and acid rain, rock chips, road debris, etc... There are many different elements of nature that exist everywhere and will do harm and weaken your car's finish and allow rust to start. The metal on your car is mostly protected by a very thin coating of paint and primer. Rust is caused by a loss in electrons of the metal and can occur as soon as the thin paint coating is jeopardized.
First, to prevent rust it is best to protect your paint. Proper car care will not only protect, but strengthen the paint. A good cleaning and waxing regimen once every two months has been proven by AAA to greatly reduce the occurrence of rust. Regular cleaning will remove contaminates that will weaken or even etch into the paint. Car wax or car polish will create a stronger, slippery surface that will be more impervious to the elements and help seal out moisture which can start the rusting process. To properly apply car wax or car polish you apply it one section at a time and allow to dry to a haze. Then you buff it off and repeat 2 - 3 times for maximum protection. People who regularly use car wax or car polish in their car care routine have a much lower incidence of rust.
If you notice a scratch or chip, nick that goes through the paint make sure you treat it properly. Get matching touchup paint by using the paint code inside your door jamb (most auto parts stores and dealers will have this matching paint or can get it for you). You will only need a small 1 oz. bottle for most scratches. Use a toothpick so you get the paint exactly where it is needed, in the scratch, nick, etc... not all around it. Completely cover any exposed metal. Then apply a clear coat touch up paint for best protection. This will seal out moisture and prevent rust from occurring. If you are in a jam you can always use clear nail polish to cover the exposed metal.
If rust has set in, then the required car care and treatment gets more complex. The rust spot must be sanded down and exposed. It is then treated with a anti-rust which will chemically react with the rust changing its chemical and electrostatic properties. Then it must be sanded down, primered and then painted. With the complexity of today's automotive paints it is probably best to leave complex rust and car care to the professionals (most auto body shops will be glad to do this for you and you will have guaranteed excellent and long lasting results). As it is said, "You get what you pay for." A cheap repair is just that, and for the same matter, so is cheap or non-existant car care.
Rust can be prevented and your cars finish maintained with a little proper car care and the use of car wax or polish.
2008/08/11
How To Protect Your Car And Treat It For Rust
Author: David Maillie
Cars today are more expensive than ever. Many cost more than the average Americans paycheck. Most Americans have car loans that average over 60 or even 72 months. That is basically 6 year car loans with very hefty payments, so if we are going to invest that much money, not to include taxes and insurance, in our cars than we best protect them and make them last as long as possible. One area of grave importance is rust protection and treatment.
Rust is like cancer for a car. Once it starts it will only get worse and grow. Being that every car manufacturer except Saturn uses sheet metal and all use metal frames and undersides, rust is a major problem. Rust is not just a northern state problem. It can happen anywhere that there is moisture, extreme weather, salt (road salt used in winter weather and salty air and spray from the ocean). Rust can be prevented and treated, however.
We have seen commercials showing us what extreme weather and conditions can do to our cars and trucks. Your vehicles sheet metal is coated by a thin protection of primer paint and clear coat. All it takes is a small nick, a chip, road debris, even hail to cause this very thin protective layer to become damaged. Even the smallest damage like a little cut can let in moisture and this will start the oxidation of the metal commonly called rust. Rust is basically a loss of electrons which weakens the metal and allows oxidation to occur. Every car gets door dings in grocery parking lots, rock chips from trucks and vehicles on the road (tip, never follow a construction truck too closely as they are always throwing rocks), etc.
It is a good practice to clean and wax your car at least every two weeks and while doing so, look for any possible areas where rust could start. Look for nicks, scratches, dings, anything that breaks through the paint. It is important to notice these areas as early as possible so you can prevent rust from ever starting. To treat a deep nick or scratch, it is important to cover the spot and seal it from moisture.
Touch up paint matched for your cars exact color will of course look best and give good protection. If touch up paint is not readily available you can use a clear touch up or even clear nail polish. Be sure to use a toothpick instead of the included brush for application. The included brush will put on too much and actually make the repair standout. It will build up both sides of the scratch or nick. A toothpick works better as it will put the touch up paint directly where it is needed, inside the cut, nick or scratch.
For best results either go to an automotive dealer or an automotive parts store whom can easily locate your particular cars paint. The exact paint will look best and help hide the repair. Some cars have clear coats and will look best with a clear coat touch up after the initial repair. This will help seal out moisture and keep your car rust free.
If rust has already started than there are treatments available for this. It is a little more involved, though. You must sand the area until the rust is gone and there is just bare metal. Walmart carries a scratch repair pen that works great for minimizing the area affected. Next a product like NeutraRust is added. This will actually chemically alter any rust that is left and prime and seal the surface for paint.
It is a good idea to check the underside of the metal where the rust occurred to make sure it has not penetrated to the other side. If it has then treat it the same way, but instead of touch up paint there are under car spray treatments that will give thicker and longer lasting protection.
For surface area repairs follow up with touch up paint. This also works with larger areas, but it may be easier to have a body shop do the job as the results will be much more noticeable. A good idea that will save you some money is to stop by your local car dealers used car department. Ask for the paint touch up guy that they use or what days he comes. He will do the repair for you at a fraction of what a body shop would charge and it will be very professional.
There you have it, how to treat and prevent rust from little nicks to bigger problems. A little proper care really can make your car last that much longer.
Cars today are more expensive than ever. Many cost more than the average Americans paycheck. Most Americans have car loans that average over 60 or even 72 months. That is basically 6 year car loans with very hefty payments, so if we are going to invest that much money, not to include taxes and insurance, in our cars than we best protect them and make them last as long as possible. One area of grave importance is rust protection and treatment.
Rust is like cancer for a car. Once it starts it will only get worse and grow. Being that every car manufacturer except Saturn uses sheet metal and all use metal frames and undersides, rust is a major problem. Rust is not just a northern state problem. It can happen anywhere that there is moisture, extreme weather, salt (road salt used in winter weather and salty air and spray from the ocean). Rust can be prevented and treated, however.
We have seen commercials showing us what extreme weather and conditions can do to our cars and trucks. Your vehicles sheet metal is coated by a thin protection of primer paint and clear coat. All it takes is a small nick, a chip, road debris, even hail to cause this very thin protective layer to become damaged. Even the smallest damage like a little cut can let in moisture and this will start the oxidation of the metal commonly called rust. Rust is basically a loss of electrons which weakens the metal and allows oxidation to occur. Every car gets door dings in grocery parking lots, rock chips from trucks and vehicles on the road (tip, never follow a construction truck too closely as they are always throwing rocks), etc.
It is a good practice to clean and wax your car at least every two weeks and while doing so, look for any possible areas where rust could start. Look for nicks, scratches, dings, anything that breaks through the paint. It is important to notice these areas as early as possible so you can prevent rust from ever starting. To treat a deep nick or scratch, it is important to cover the spot and seal it from moisture.
Touch up paint matched for your cars exact color will of course look best and give good protection. If touch up paint is not readily available you can use a clear touch up or even clear nail polish. Be sure to use a toothpick instead of the included brush for application. The included brush will put on too much and actually make the repair standout. It will build up both sides of the scratch or nick. A toothpick works better as it will put the touch up paint directly where it is needed, inside the cut, nick or scratch.
For best results either go to an automotive dealer or an automotive parts store whom can easily locate your particular cars paint. The exact paint will look best and help hide the repair. Some cars have clear coats and will look best with a clear coat touch up after the initial repair. This will help seal out moisture and keep your car rust free.
If rust has already started than there are treatments available for this. It is a little more involved, though. You must sand the area until the rust is gone and there is just bare metal. Walmart carries a scratch repair pen that works great for minimizing the area affected. Next a product like NeutraRust is added. This will actually chemically alter any rust that is left and prime and seal the surface for paint.
It is a good idea to check the underside of the metal where the rust occurred to make sure it has not penetrated to the other side. If it has then treat it the same way, but instead of touch up paint there are under car spray treatments that will give thicker and longer lasting protection.
For surface area repairs follow up with touch up paint. This also works with larger areas, but it may be easier to have a body shop do the job as the results will be much more noticeable. A good idea that will save you some money is to stop by your local car dealers used car department. Ask for the paint touch up guy that they use or what days he comes. He will do the repair for you at a fraction of what a body shop would charge and it will be very professional.
There you have it, how to treat and prevent rust from little nicks to bigger problems. A little proper care really can make your car last that much longer.
Scratch Cards - Few Tips and Pointers to Keep in Mind
Author: Adrian Radulescu
First of all pay attention to the rules. If you are like me then you like to play traditional scratch cards. Before playing one though make sure to read the rules. Usually they are printed right on the card. They will tell you everything you need to know. Do not rush into things and start scratching off logos randomly. I did that once only to find out later that I was supposed to scratch off only a few of them not all of them. I don’t know what I would have done with myself if that card proved to be a huge winner. The scratch card companies want you to do so because if you do they do not have to give you your winnings. Not to mention that such things occur only when high denomination cards are involved.
Another interesting fact that is printed on the scratch cards is the odds of winning. Most people go for the cheapest cards and by tons of them. They believe that more cards equals better chances of winning. The simple truth of the matter is that high denomination cards offer better odds. Just take a look on the back of your scratch card. You will see that your one dollar card offers a 1-in-7 chance of winning while your ten dollar card offers a 1-in-2.5 chance of winning. You have to spend money if you want to make money.
This brings me to my next point. Even though higher denomination cards offer better odds always choose the denomination that is best suited for you. If all you have in your wallet is a five dollar bill don’t ask Janice from accounting to lend you five bucks so that you can go for the ten dollar card. Choose a cheaper card instead. There are numerous denominations to choose from and you will always find one that you can afford. Online scratch cards are even more convenient as you get to choose the denomination for the type of card you wish to play.
After you play a series of cards do not throw them in the bin right away. Put them in your desk drawer, in your pocket or wherever you want. Then look at them again later on. Who knows, you may have been distracted and you did not notice that one of your cards was a winner. It happened to me once and it was a $200 winning card.
Another tip to keep in mind is the prize that the scratch card offers. These prizes vary a lot. You could win a TV set, a car, a lot of money or many other prizes. Always check what prize the scratch card offers and play to win the prize you want and not some random prize. What good will winning a TV does if you just bought a HDTV? Most scratch cards offer tons of money. You may not win the big jackpot but you may get a considerably large payout. It all depends on your odds and your luck.
The final and most important advice that I leave you with is to play smart. Spend only as much as you can afford. Gambling addiction is a serious problem. It ruins careers, splits families and destroys your life. If you think you may be suffering from gambling addiction please seek help.
First of all pay attention to the rules. If you are like me then you like to play traditional scratch cards. Before playing one though make sure to read the rules. Usually they are printed right on the card. They will tell you everything you need to know. Do not rush into things and start scratching off logos randomly. I did that once only to find out later that I was supposed to scratch off only a few of them not all of them. I don’t know what I would have done with myself if that card proved to be a huge winner. The scratch card companies want you to do so because if you do they do not have to give you your winnings. Not to mention that such things occur only when high denomination cards are involved.
Another interesting fact that is printed on the scratch cards is the odds of winning. Most people go for the cheapest cards and by tons of them. They believe that more cards equals better chances of winning. The simple truth of the matter is that high denomination cards offer better odds. Just take a look on the back of your scratch card. You will see that your one dollar card offers a 1-in-7 chance of winning while your ten dollar card offers a 1-in-2.5 chance of winning. You have to spend money if you want to make money.
This brings me to my next point. Even though higher denomination cards offer better odds always choose the denomination that is best suited for you. If all you have in your wallet is a five dollar bill don’t ask Janice from accounting to lend you five bucks so that you can go for the ten dollar card. Choose a cheaper card instead. There are numerous denominations to choose from and you will always find one that you can afford. Online scratch cards are even more convenient as you get to choose the denomination for the type of card you wish to play.
After you play a series of cards do not throw them in the bin right away. Put them in your desk drawer, in your pocket or wherever you want. Then look at them again later on. Who knows, you may have been distracted and you did not notice that one of your cards was a winner. It happened to me once and it was a $200 winning card.
Another tip to keep in mind is the prize that the scratch card offers. These prizes vary a lot. You could win a TV set, a car, a lot of money or many other prizes. Always check what prize the scratch card offers and play to win the prize you want and not some random prize. What good will winning a TV does if you just bought a HDTV? Most scratch cards offer tons of money. You may not win the big jackpot but you may get a considerably large payout. It all depends on your odds and your luck.
The final and most important advice that I leave you with is to play smart. Spend only as much as you can afford. Gambling addiction is a serious problem. It ruins careers, splits families and destroys your life. If you think you may be suffering from gambling addiction please seek help.
How To Properly Repair Chips And Deep Scratches On Your Car
Author: David Maillie
We all have received them on our cars - rock chips, door dings, bumper scrapes, etc... They can come from a rock thrown up from a truck on the highway, or its as easy as a parking lot ding from someone in a hurry or even an errant grocery cart. Most of these are unavoidable. They can happen even if you park far away from stores and regardless of the measures you take to protect your car. Not only do they detract from your cars beauty, but they can also make your car susceptible to rust and the environment. Here's how to fix these paint chips, nicks and deep scratches and protect your car from rust.
Its not worth going to a auto paint and body store for chips and scratches. They will charge 10 times more for repairs you can easily do yourself. The first step is to locate the chips and scratches and see how deep they are. If they don't go all the way through the paint you can buff them out. Using a cloth terry towel apply a small amount of scratch remover or cleaner wax. Rub in a circular motion over the chip or scratch and buff when dry. If this removes the chip or scratch after a couple of applications, great, then just follow with a good wax or polish. If you see white primer or metal in the nick or scratch scratch remover or cleaner wax will not work well.
Some cars have paint that is lacquer based and others have paint that is enamel based. The following tip works wonders on cars with lacquer based paint only. Get a clean rag and apply a small amount of lacquer thinner to it. Take this and rub lightly on and around the scratch, nick or chip. The lacquer thinner will actually start to move the paint around and cover the affected spot. This even works on larger scrapes. This treatment is not recommended on cars with custom paint jobs and may not work on all cars with lacquer based paints.
For those with enamel paint or scratches and chips where the above treatment didn't work, then you have to touch up the blemish in your paint. First, you need to get the paint code so you can correctly match the paint for your car. This is located inside your door jam or on some Hondas inside the glove box. Take this paint code to your dealer and get a small bottle of touch up paint. The touch up paint will come in a small bottle with a brush applicator. Instead of using the brush, as it will apply too broadly and make your touch up of the chip or scratch really stand out, we recommend using a toothpick for better paint placement.
First clean the area of the chip or scratch. Then follow the directions on the touch up paint bottle. Usually it is mix thoroughly for 5 minutes (metallic paints may require more agitation). Then using the toothpick place the paint directly in the chip or scratch. When done allow to dry for several days before waxing or polishing (some cars have a clear cote which you would then apply in the same fashion to the affected area). By touching up the paint you have sealed the area from the environment and greatly reduced the chances of rust setting in and affecting your sheet metal. Rust is like cancer for your car and very difficult to stop once it starts, so it is better to be proactive and prevent it with proper car care and treatment and quickly identifying and repairing paint chips, nicks and scratches.
We all have received them on our cars - rock chips, door dings, bumper scrapes, etc... They can come from a rock thrown up from a truck on the highway, or its as easy as a parking lot ding from someone in a hurry or even an errant grocery cart. Most of these are unavoidable. They can happen even if you park far away from stores and regardless of the measures you take to protect your car. Not only do they detract from your cars beauty, but they can also make your car susceptible to rust and the environment. Here's how to fix these paint chips, nicks and deep scratches and protect your car from rust.
Its not worth going to a auto paint and body store for chips and scratches. They will charge 10 times more for repairs you can easily do yourself. The first step is to locate the chips and scratches and see how deep they are. If they don't go all the way through the paint you can buff them out. Using a cloth terry towel apply a small amount of scratch remover or cleaner wax. Rub in a circular motion over the chip or scratch and buff when dry. If this removes the chip or scratch after a couple of applications, great, then just follow with a good wax or polish. If you see white primer or metal in the nick or scratch scratch remover or cleaner wax will not work well.
Some cars have paint that is lacquer based and others have paint that is enamel based. The following tip works wonders on cars with lacquer based paint only. Get a clean rag and apply a small amount of lacquer thinner to it. Take this and rub lightly on and around the scratch, nick or chip. The lacquer thinner will actually start to move the paint around and cover the affected spot. This even works on larger scrapes. This treatment is not recommended on cars with custom paint jobs and may not work on all cars with lacquer based paints.
For those with enamel paint or scratches and chips where the above treatment didn't work, then you have to touch up the blemish in your paint. First, you need to get the paint code so you can correctly match the paint for your car. This is located inside your door jam or on some Hondas inside the glove box. Take this paint code to your dealer and get a small bottle of touch up paint. The touch up paint will come in a small bottle with a brush applicator. Instead of using the brush, as it will apply too broadly and make your touch up of the chip or scratch really stand out, we recommend using a toothpick for better paint placement.
First clean the area of the chip or scratch. Then follow the directions on the touch up paint bottle. Usually it is mix thoroughly for 5 minutes (metallic paints may require more agitation). Then using the toothpick place the paint directly in the chip or scratch. When done allow to dry for several days before waxing or polishing (some cars have a clear cote which you would then apply in the same fashion to the affected area). By touching up the paint you have sealed the area from the environment and greatly reduced the chances of rust setting in and affecting your sheet metal. Rust is like cancer for your car and very difficult to stop once it starts, so it is better to be proactive and prevent it with proper car care and treatment and quickly identifying and repairing paint chips, nicks and scratches.
Car Scratches Go Away
Author: Joe Ratzkin
Much as you do take extra care so that your car's paint would not get marred by dents, scratches could happen. Scratches on your car can small and would not even be noticeable. However, if these accumulate, you can say goodbye to a car that looks like it was just purchased from the dealership.
These small scratches on your vehicle can be easily fixed using touch-up paint. However, if the scratch seems to be deep and large enough, then these may then need some professional assistance. If your car's paint is enameled, then you can actually have to ask for professional help before you do anything or you just might mess up your car's paint. However, if it is now, then you can go ahead and do the repairing yourself.
Body compound and primer paint should help you do the job well. If you are going to purchase primer paint, find a primer paint that holds a light color. The very reason behind this is that when you use touch-up paint, you can cover it up easily. Before you do anything, it is important that you have the area around the scratch clean. You can wash the area using a mild laundry detergent so that any kind of coatings or wax would be removed. If there are coatings or wax on it, you might have trouble when you apply the new paint.
When the area is clean, sand the scratch. You can use a fine grained sandpaper to do this. And if you notice any rust on it, sand it away. After this is done, remember to remove all the dust. Then start isolating the scratch using some masking tape and newspapers. Leave around a half inch around the scratch. This would be the space to work on the scratch.
Apply the body compound to the scratch. Make sure you use a plastic tool to do this so that there would not be any additional scratches on your car's paint. After applying, let it harden. And when it is already hard, sand the compound until it is level and blow away any of the dust. The primer paint would come in handy now as you spray it to the scratch. Let it dry through the night.
Apply the right touch-up paint on it the following morning. If you are not sure what color it would be, you can check your vehicle's vehicle identification number. After applying the touch-up paint, let it dry overnight and come morning, your vehicle looks like the scratch has never been there.
For Jeep parts and other Jeep accessories, you can rush to Car Parts Rush for quality and affordable Jeep products and other vehicle parts.
Much as you do take extra care so that your car's paint would not get marred by dents, scratches could happen. Scratches on your car can small and would not even be noticeable. However, if these accumulate, you can say goodbye to a car that looks like it was just purchased from the dealership.
These small scratches on your vehicle can be easily fixed using touch-up paint. However, if the scratch seems to be deep and large enough, then these may then need some professional assistance. If your car's paint is enameled, then you can actually have to ask for professional help before you do anything or you just might mess up your car's paint. However, if it is now, then you can go ahead and do the repairing yourself.
Body compound and primer paint should help you do the job well. If you are going to purchase primer paint, find a primer paint that holds a light color. The very reason behind this is that when you use touch-up paint, you can cover it up easily. Before you do anything, it is important that you have the area around the scratch clean. You can wash the area using a mild laundry detergent so that any kind of coatings or wax would be removed. If there are coatings or wax on it, you might have trouble when you apply the new paint.
When the area is clean, sand the scratch. You can use a fine grained sandpaper to do this. And if you notice any rust on it, sand it away. After this is done, remember to remove all the dust. Then start isolating the scratch using some masking tape and newspapers. Leave around a half inch around the scratch. This would be the space to work on the scratch.
Apply the body compound to the scratch. Make sure you use a plastic tool to do this so that there would not be any additional scratches on your car's paint. After applying, let it harden. And when it is already hard, sand the compound until it is level and blow away any of the dust. The primer paint would come in handy now as you spray it to the scratch. Let it dry through the night.
Apply the right touch-up paint on it the following morning. If you are not sure what color it would be, you can check your vehicle's vehicle identification number. After applying the touch-up paint, let it dry overnight and come morning, your vehicle looks like the scratch has never been there.
For Jeep parts and other Jeep accessories, you can rush to Car Parts Rush for quality and affordable Jeep products and other vehicle parts.
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