If you have had the misfortune of parking your car for a long time outside in summer, then you know how hot it can get. There are some things you can do (and also make use of certain car accessories) to help keep your car cooler this summer. The heat mostly comes in through the windows and is further insulated by the glass. Depending on the outside temperature your car can get as hot as 200 degrees! By doing some things, you can certainly prevent this to an extent.
The first thing you can do is park in the shade. It might be required for you to walk a little extra from office or shopping mall to your car, but this little thing can help keep your car from turning into a sauna!
Parking under the trees does mean that you might get some bird droppings, so be prepared for that.
Carrying extra water helps you clean this up and also comes in handy if the car overheats. You can also throw some wet towels or blankets on the seats to prevent them from getting too hot.
The use of sunshades is another simple trick to help prevent the car from overheating in the summer sun. The windshield sunshade helps prevent the sun from directly beating on the dashboard, so you eliminate the heat to a great extent. This also helps prevent your dashboard from cracking and fading; and helps you fetch a better price on your car when you sell it.
Depending on your states’ tinting laws, you can get your windows tinted. This facility is available at most auto shops and the cost is also reasonable. This can help keep the car several degrees cooler.
Car steering wheel covers are extremely important, yet often overlooked car accessories. Many an accident has been caused when a driver has been unable to grip the hot steering wheel properly. Cloth steering wheel covers keep the wheel from overheating and also allow better grip for comfortable steering otherwise.
It is also essential for drivers to get their car air conditioning checked by professionals, prior to start of summer and especially before going on long trips. The professionals check for the necessary things like refrigerant levels etc so you can be assured that your air conditioning will not break down in the peak summer heat.
Auto engines also have to work extra hard in the summer heat, so make sure that coolant is up to par and able to do the job properly. Older coolants need replacing every 2 years or 24,000 miles while the new ones need changing every 5 years/50,000 miles. The car manual can guide you regarding this.