Here comes the heat and it's not on the race track. The summer heat waves bring excessive UV radiation, extreme heat, and stress for cars that are not safely parked in a garage. You probably need your car for everyday use but want to protect it as much as possible from the wear extreme heat can cause. Here are a few tips to help preserve your car's value when the heat waves bring the heat this summer:

1. Sun Visors, Shades, and Protectors to Prevent Interior Damage

The UV radiation from direct sunlight can cause a lot of damage to the interior of your car. UV rays will also cause paint to fade and damage components like tires. Using sun-visors and shades to protect the interior of your car is essential during the summer months; especially if you park in areas with direct sunlight. There are steering-wheel covers available to protect them from UV radiation, and they will also prevent them from getting too hot to touch when you get in your car.

2. UV Protection When Cleaning Wheels and Waxing the Paint Job

In addition to visors and shades, give your car a wax with a treatment that contains UV protection. You may also want to consider wheel covers to protect tires if you are going to have your car parked in an area exposed to direct sunlight for an extended period. Wash and wax your car with products that are marked to have UV protection. When you park your car for extended periods of time, make sure to cover the wheels with covers to prevent dry-rot and cracking of the rubber.

3. Using Fluids That Are Designed for Extremely Hot Driving Conditions

The fluids you normally use in your car are different from fluids that are used in extreme heat. The hot weather can cause the fluids in your car to break down and provide less protection. In hotter weather, heavier weight oils and lubricants will provide you with more protection from viscosity breakdown.  You may want to have the oil, brake and transmission fluids changed for hotter weather. In addition, make sure to have the cooling system flushed and new coolant added during summer weather.

These are a few tips that will help preserve your car during extreme heat. Contact a company like Lamb's Automotive Repair with Care for more information and assistance on keeping your car cool this summer.