former newt

for the next...well probably 4 years, im gonna be parking my mazda 6 outside. we only have one garage spot at the condo im livin in for med school, so my friend's got it since he bought the house. i think for the most part, it'll be in the shade, but what sort of sunlight related problems might i see? paint fading, interior fading, whatever it is, how can i prevent it at a reasonable cost?

BadNick

I suggest you consider a car cover. I have Weathershield that I use on my car since many times I can't get it into the garage. Now after using it for almost 3 years, I really really like my cover. I got one rated for mostly outdoor but outdoor/indoor protection and it is very lightweight, so specifically designed to allow washing in typical home washing/drying machines. If you have a cover you can't maintain/clean, that's a problem. I can put it on/off my car with no help in less than two minutes; after I remove it I can roll it up and put it into the bag about 10" dia. and it takes up very little space.

former newt

that's what i was thinking. you know how much i could get one for and where? im lookin for cheap but effective solutions.

actinic

I've parked my 2003 Mazda Tribute ES-V6 (metallic red ext/black int) on the street for the past 4 years and there isn't much shade from the sun nor protection from the weather. My neighbor just bought a new Tribute in the same color scheme and side by side comparison, there is no fade in paint and interior color.

Not sure what your climate is like compared to Toronto, but at least I can share some observations with a Mazda.

HTH/JME

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noodle

I live in North Florida, it was 125 heat index, sunny, and 95% humidity last week.
I, too, have to park outside because of the single garage. Weekly washes and waxes every few weeks are saving my paint. I'm going to have to have the windows tinted soon. It's a must, here. It only costs around $125 for a quality tint here, but from what I've heard from ALL of my friends with nice cars below the Mason-Dixon (I drive a Vibe. Apparently I'm not in that category), the very best way to save the interior is to tint the windows.

Welcome to Florida. Ugh.

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BadNick

Seems to me some colors are more prone to fading than others. I suppose now adays they could add UV inhibitors/blocks but I don't know if they do and I seem to notice blues fading worse than other colors.

In addition to/instead of only considering fading, the dust/dirt/rain/sun/bird droppings, tree sap ...all those things add crud to the painted surfaces and can oxidize the paint surface. So in my experience, having a cover keeps the car looking much better with less washing/waxing needed and protects it longer between waxings. I think the Weathershield I got was top of the line of the lightweight, suitable for outdoor covers and it cost about $300.

bodypainter

The problem with car covers is a tight cover can scratch your paint if you put in on a dirty car.

LoganSnake

My car is 5 years old and has been parked outside in the sun, rain, hail and snow and there is not so much as a fade on it. The only imperfections on it are the ones I put on her bumper (learning to parallel park) and the small dent on my passenger door that some asshole left me. It's an 02 Mazda Protege.

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Datalife2

car cover is best idea and tie it to the rims.

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Plaid13

Depends where you live. the heat will do more damage then just sun in a mild climate area. But basicly park it in the shade when you can. Keep it clean and waxed and if your real worried about it get one of those fold out shades you stick on the dash to keep things from getting too hot. they will block the sun off the dash and interior. Car covers outside are not really a good idea. Unless your going to be very very careful about keeping the car spotless its not worth it. Just take care of the car. Try to keep it out of direct sun if you can. Use a good wax and keep it clean.

If you live in arazona or something then things will get a lot harder. A cover might be worth it but any dust or dirt on the car can scratch it and make things worse. giving it a good cleaning and wax once a month or so will work wonders to take care of the paint in any case. and one of those $5 cardboard dash shades will keep the dash and front seat and steering wheel and stuff in good shape. Or even getting the windows tinted if its legal in your area. Thats about $200 The same as a good high quality outdoor car cover.

Did i mention keep it clean and waxed? Cause yeah that will help a lot.

Plan9

Anything leather needs a lot of conditioning. The human body / sun contact ruins leather right-quick.

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bobby

my Mazda6s is an 04 and sits outside always...rainy seattle/sunny seattle
.I've noticed no paint/exterior problems(just the damn pitch from the big evergreen!)....leather interior gets a meguires goo rub down every 6 months or so....all is well..........great car!!!....I like the car cover idea!!!!

xoxoxoo

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Fotzlid

i've been thinking of getting a car cover. there are a line of oak trees next to my driveway that makes it nearly impossible to keep the car clean during the warm months. first its the pollen, then the birds.
i'll look into the Weathershield brand.
any other brand suggestions/recommendations?