The dream of every car buyer is that the vehicle would last them a while, not just the engine but the general body parts too.
However, a recent 'disease' affecting cars threatens the peace of car owners with most dreading visiting a paint shop owing to the high cost of getting a paint job.
Kenyans.co.ke on Wednesday, January 18 spoke to car expert Miller Kyalo to understand causes of car patches and water spots and how to prevent them.
Car patches
Kyalo explained that patches occur when the paint appears to be faded or lighter often surrounded by a white border.
He intimated that it is a condition experienced in regions with high-intensity sunlight.
"The sun contains ultra-violet rays which breaks down the chemical composition of paint when the car is overexposed. This causes weakness in the various layers of paint thus the peeling," the expert pointed out.
The rays from the sun are known as catalysts for the oxidation of paint, which breaks down the oil component of paint, hence the dull appearance.
Moreover, car patches may be as a result of a poor paint job. Kyalo argued that most Kenyans opt for more affordable painting shops, which end up costing them.
"Professional painters know that after any paint job, the car takes about a week to get back to the intended final colour. A majority of mechanics cave into demands by car owners who do not understand this concept" he posed.
However, he pointed out that some painters deliberately buy low quality paint which easily fade. The water used in car washes is also a major cause of paint fades in cars.
"Majority of car washes use borehole water that has high saline content. This can damage the paintwork over time," he posed.
A research by the Monitor established that vehicles in humid areas are also likely to have car patches.
"When a car is parked outside in the cold on a daily basis, the dew that forms on the car body penetrates the car paint overtime and causes it to develop patches,” the publication wrote.
Water Spots
Water spots resemble patches but are smaller. They cause stains especially in areas which experience acidic rain.
Oftentimes, the droplets settle on the car trunk or bonnet. Under sunny conditions, the water evaporates leaving the salt behind.
If not wiped off, it gradually causes corrosion. The wearing out of paint can also be accelerated by the acid content of bird droppings or decomposing animals left on the car surface for long.
Solutions
Kyalo argued that since washing out of paint boils down to the oil component of the pain, regular waxing of vehicles is recommended.
In addition, avoid car washes which use borehole water, avoid exposing their cars to direct sunlight for a long period of time.
