The 5 Most Common Types of Car Paint Damage

As a car painting repair shop, we see many vehicles come in with the same damage. So we’ve compiled a helpful list of the most common types of car paint damage so that drivers can better avoid them and keep their vehicles looking shiny and healthy.

Sun Damage

Car paint’s greatest enemy is the sun. We may all love a bright, sunny day, but prolonged periods in the sun expose your vehicle’s exterior to harmful UV rays that can cause fading and lead to paint chipping.

In the summer and other seasons for car owners in warmer areas, sun fading is a common problem. It’s always better to park in the shade when possible. Ideal spots include the garage, a covered parking lot, or anywhere else you can find cover.

Pro-Tip: Don’t have a garage? Consider investing in a car cover to keep the sun off your vehicle’s precious paint.

Tree Sap Damage

The shade is better than the sun, but be cautious of where you park in the shade—particularly under trees. A large, leafy tree can seem like a perfect place, but trees contribute their own common type of car paint damage—tree sap.

Tree sap bonds with a vehicle’s surface and eats away at the paint, leaving a stain and exposing the car’s metal. Tree sap is most common in the fall, on sunny days after chilly nights, but it can come from any tree with a broken limb or branch.

Bird Droppings Damage

Another reason to avoid parking directly underneath trees is that they’re also magnets for birds, and bird droppings always follow birds. Somehow, birds seem to know the day you clean your car or get a new paint job and can’t wait to cover it with their leavings.

Bird droppings aren’t just gross; they contain pH levels similar to acid rain. If droppings land on your vehicle, clean them immediately with a mix of water and baking soda.

Dirt, Dust, and Bugs Damage

Dirt, dust, and bugs can damage a vehicle’s paint job, but we’ve lumped them together, as they typically come together from outside elements. Bugs are like bird droppings because their bodies and slime are acidic and can eat away at a vehicle’s paint if you don’t immediately clean them.

Of course, every driver knows that dirt and dust aren’t good for the health of their vehicle’s exterior or paint. It doesn’t just look dirty—dust and dirt can create acidic compounds when mixed with rain. So don’t wait for the next rainfall to clean your car!

Salt Damage

Everyone knows the harmful effects that salt can have on metal, and it’s no different for a car or paint. Nearly 100 million Americans live near an oceanic coastline, which means many cars have to deal with a salty atmosphere.

Salt destroys the luster and sheen of paint on a vehicle and further exposes the metal underneath to devastating rust. Protective coatings of wax and film are vital to preserving the shine and health of a vehicle’s paint job for those living near the ocean.