Halloween is always fun for the kids who don’t get run over, but the “trick” part of trick-or-treating isn’t always so fun for the parents who come out to find their car has been vandalized. Those rascals. Instead of being the kind of loser who calls the cops over a little silly string, why not be prepared? Here’s the best advice for keeping your car safe thanks to our friends at Consumer Reports.
The easiest thing to do is simply avoid the potential for issues in the first place. It’s a whole lot harder to egg a car that’s sitting safely inside your garage with the door down than it is to hit one in a driveway or on the street. Not everyone has a garage, and many of those who do prefer to use it as an overpriced storage unit, so it isn’t a universal solution. That said, if you’re worried about your car getting hit, maybe that’s a sign to clean out the garage. Alternatively, there’s still time to pick up a car cover. Just don’t cheap out and get one of the ones that will scratch your paint.
Waxing your car will also help protect the paint from damage, especially if you use one of the fancy new ceramic or hybrid options that are now available. If you live in an area where they salt the roads, this is also just generally a good idea whether you’re worried about pumpkin guts or not.
If your car does get hit, though, clean it as soon as you notice. The longer it sits in the unseasonably warm sun covered in last night’s mischief, the more likely it is to damage your paint. Catch it quickly and you should be able to rinse off your car pretty easily. It also doesn’t hurt to just keep a spray bottle of car cleaner ready to go for any other time you notice bird poop or other crap on your car.
Sadly, not everyone will notice before they need more serious supplies than a hose and some basic cleaner. If that’s the case, get the car as clean as you can and then try a cleaning wax. It should take off just enough of the clear coat to remove any discoloration, but that only works if the clear coat is still intact. If it isn’t, you’re unfortunately looking at potentially having to repaint, but fingers crossed it doesn’t come to that.
