Why Are Exterior Details So Important?!

Now that we have determined what a car detail is in our last post, let's talk about WHY regularly detailing your vehicle is so important! Regularly detailing the exterior and interior of your vehicle is essential for protecting and maintaining your investment but it’s beneficial for your physical and mental health as well!

Let’s start with the Exterior of your vehicle.

The exterior of your vehicle will obviously be exposed to the elements when on the road, dirt, sand, rocks, salts, water, bugs, tar or anything other road grime. Those are just a few things your car’s exterior takes a beating from while you drive down the road on a daily basis. The sun’s UV rays also take a toll on the car’s paint, plastic trim and chrome finishes on the car. Removing the road contaminants on a regular basis and adding protection to these surfaces are what keeps the car looking its best. Don’t forget we also learned that the automated car washes use harsh chemicals and sub par waxes that do more damage than good to the exterior of your vehicle.

In an exterior detail after the vehicle is hand washed it is then treated with a clay bar, this removes additional dirt and imperfections. The vehicle is then buffed and polished to smooth out scratches and nicks.

Most importantly the vehicle is waxed and sealed which will create a barrier preserving and protecting the paint from chips, rust and UV radiation/fading. The wax and sealant also keeps your vehicle glossy and makes it easier to wash. When the paint has some sort of protection on it less dirt and buildup sticks to the actual surface of the vehicle. This means that it’s less likely to develop heavy scratches, swirls or marring of the paint from excessive buildup of surface contaminants.

Lastly, the exterior plastics are cleaned and protected and will not fade and the rubber seals will remain soft and hydrated so they will not dry out and crack as quickly as undetailed vehicles.

Detailing the exterior of your vehicle seasonally will protect it from the elements and other road contaminants, such as acidic bird droppings, tree saps, tars etc that it encounters on a daily basis. This keeps your vehicle from rusting as quickly, prevents scratches and diminishes regular wear. It also maintains the resale value of the vehicle if you decide to part with it down the road.

If you use your vehicle for business, maintaining and detailing the exterior of your vehicle will make you appear more professional and clean cut than your competitors.

How often you detail your vehicle depends on how much wear and tear you put on your vehicle and how often you wash and wax. Ideally you should be detailing your vehicle seasonally to ride the vehicle of the season's build up but also to prepare and protect your vehicle from the changing environment and contaminants it will face. Then washing and waxing the vehicle regularly in between. Professional detailings are more expensive and time consuming than your average car wash but they are definitely worth the investment.

Check out the importance of detailing the interior of your car!