Car accessories are all over the market. Most of them capture our attention and draw us in, making us feel like we need this latest and greatest product. What we do not always think of when it comes to car accessories though is that sometimes they can actually damage our vehicle. The damage may occur right away or over an extended period of time, but regardless of the length of time the damage is what we need to be aware of. When you buy a car accessory often the excitement of trying the new product can over shadow any possible risks associated with it. When buying or using car accessories, we should be aware of the damage that can be done to our vehicle.
Stickers
First, we are all familiar with the millions of car stickers available on the market. From simple sports logos to the stick-figure families, these stickers can cause permanent damage to the exterior of your vehicle. When they are applied to a window, the damage is not as significant, but applying stickers a painted area of your car can be horrific. These stickers all contain a glue which allows them to stick to your vehicle for a long period of time, but this glue can often stick a little too well, and be difficult to get off. When the sticker is left on the car too long it will often bring the paint of the car with it upon removal. This will result in a damaged paint job and a hefty price to fix.
Covers
Next are car covers. Many people prefer to keep their car protected from sunlight, bugs, leaves, and dirt by throwing a cover over their car. While these covers often do their job with no side effects, they can be damaging to your car when not maintained properly. It is important to make sure the cover is always clean before it is put on the car. If the cover gets wet or dirty before being thrown over the car, that dirt will transfer onto the surface of the car. If there is a pebble or anything caught in the cover, that could easily put a nice scratch on your car. While just trying to protect your car, you could in fact be damaging it.
Car Seats
Another car accessory which can damage your car is an extremely common one, the child’s car seat. Every parent has experienced the troubling bulkiness and inconvenience when moving or installing them. What many do not realize is that they can really damage your seats and the sides of your doors. The weight and corners of the car seat can cut into the fabric, and even more with leather seats. Moving the car seat in and out of the car can result in scratches in the fabric all over the back seat or side of the car.
Mirror Decorations
Some other car accessories that can damage your car are heavy rear-view mirror decorations and anything which clips onto the overhead visor. Rear-view mirror decorations can weigh down the mirror, which can be susceptible to falling off and losing grip. Clips on the overhead visor can dig into and rip your fabric as well, which is something to certainly be careful of. Hopefully these tips will help prevent any car accessories from damaging your car in the future.
This article was written by Matthew Hall. Matthew is a car enthusiast who can be found watching endless hours of Top Gear. He is also a professional writer for TimsGermanAuto.com. You can learn more about Matthew by visiting his Google+.