What should I be doing? Car in 90F heat
Posted by jofa21@reddit | askcarguys | View on Reddit | 63 comments
I was pampered with a garage for the past ten years, but now live in a place where my car sits outside all day. Today and tomorrow are in the 90sF, and I'll be honest, I don't really remember car etiquette when it comes to it sitting in the heat.
Growing up, I was taught to crack the windows and put a visor in the front windshield to block out the sun. Are those actually needed/helpful (beyond cooling the car off for my own comfort)? Can I leave my windows up? Should I be doing something else? I know the sun can impact paint, etc, over time, but there's nothing I can really do about that, as I have a designated parking spot at my building that's not shaded.
Any tips or reminders would be appreciated as I regain some basic cat knowledge đ
TheWhogg@reddit
Tint, dashboard umbrella, open windows, run A/C for a minute before getting in.
Seriously, grow a set. Itâs 115F in a Sydney summer during a westerly wind. 90F is what we call âunseasonably mild late autumn.â
Diptothaset@reddit
*laughs in white car*
it still gets hot but white definitely reflects sunlight more than a darker colour which is basically every colour
voucher420@reddit
Fuck you!
Love; Everyone with a black car. đ
limited_instincts@reddit
Tint all round, ceramic makes a world of difference. And use a foil sunshade.
Hoopajoops@reddit
I 2nd the tinting. I have a dark car with a black interior. I put an illegally dark tint on it and it made a big difference. It's still hot inside, but I don't burn my ass when I sit down anymore
Right_Perception_497@reddit
I absolutely agree. I live in Texas and my car also has a black leather interior. Tint and a sunshade works wonders. Itâs still hot for a few minutes until the A/C cools everything down, but I donât burn myself on the seats or the seatbelt buckle anymore.
Tony-cums@reddit
Sun has changed.
Same as before. Tint all around. Sun visor. Crack windows. Nothing groundbreaking.
0peRightBehindYa@reddit
If it's not gonna rain, feel free to crack the windows a bit. Otherwise, you'll be fine. Maybe invest in a windshield sunshade to keep your steering wheel from branding your palms, but otherwise your car is designed for this.
eugenesbluegenes@reddit
As nice as it is to be able to open the windows driving in the rain, being able to leave the windows cracked without risking water intrusion is a great feature of rain guards.
jofa21@reddit (OP)
good to know, thanks!
Overall_Unit_2193@reddit
Tint for more cabin protection.
Wax for clear cat protection.
Keep using the sun shade for dash protection.
Consider getting rain visors to keep the interior dust free while still having airflow.
And if you care about tires moisturize them with a sealant not a shine.
pigwona@reddit
Can you say more about the tire moisturizer? I didnt know there was something I could do to stave off sun rot.
markkawika@reddit
Heâs talking about products labeled âsealantâ or âprotectionâ, vs. ones that emphasize shine.
TBH I kind of doubt the true effectiveness of sealants: if you donât also seal the inside of the tire, seems like a moot point. OTOH, I guess an argument could be made about sun exposure specifically, which wouldnât affect the insides.
I use Adamâs Graphite Tire Sealant. It has no glossiness, and preserves the nice good looking surface of the tire for a good two weeks, and itâs easy to reapply when needed.
jofa21@reddit (OP)
I appreciate this-a few things I hadn't thought of (or knew of...rain visors...). Thank you!
Overall_Unit_2193@reddit
Yep I use my rain visors to crack the windows with the allusion that they are still closed. And being in construction parking lots quite often I find it blocks the airflow in and keeps most dust out. While still venting the hotter inside air.
Happy-Deal-1888@reddit
The visor will keep the heat down and protect your interior. Window cracking will keep the temps down. Not much else you can do
Smoofbrainz@reddit
You're supposed to sit in the heat with it. Kind of sympathize with the interior heat for a little while.
Superhereaux@reddit
Shared trauma is one of the best ways to bond with your vehicle.
TheRealDVader@reddit
Foil sunshide and tinting.
shitty_advice_BDD@reddit
Portable garage.
No_Educator_6376@reddit
Iâm in South Louisiana and I keep a towel on the front passenger seat before I exit the car I lay it over the steering wheel and dashboard. When itâs 95⢠outside the wheel is too hot to steer the car unless itâs covered up. Iâm not worried about the car itâs my hands the steer wheel hits around 150 degrees
drifts180@reddit
I keep a towel in the car in the summer for my girlfriend to sit on when she's wearing shorts. The steering wheel has never bothered me living in the desert my whole life, but hot leather seats against bare legs doesn't seem like a good time.
foolproofphilosophy@reddit
Damn thatâs the number one benefit I get from a windshield screen. I got a new car over the winter and havenât bought a screen yet. Now Iâm not sure if I will.
Spazmatazo@reddit
Don't forget to bring a towel!
No_Educator_6376@reddit
Try a towel
No_Detail9259@reddit
A light towel or a dark towel?
No_Educator_6376@reddit
Light is better
miserylovescomputers@reddit
Iâd imagine youâd want a light towel for that
jofa21@reddit (OP)
nice hack! I like that
LimeDry7124@reddit
Dashboard cover?
Talentless_Cooking@reddit
I use a sun shade, I find it helps, but italso good for saving your intiror from sun damage.
GeneralGrapefruit18@reddit
You'll live. Its just a little heat
QuestYoshi@reddit
I live in arizona so we deal with temperatures in the triple digits for a decent part of the year. I crack my front and rear windows a bit when itâs parked. I dont have a sun visor but I dont have leather seats which heat up quite a bit more in direct sunlight than cloth. learn the sunâs path across the sky and park accordingly. if you can back in and keep the sun on the rear of the vehicle instead of the front and vice versa, the interior generally seems a tad bit cooler than if parked with the front facing the sun. also when you get in to drive, roll the windows down when you first turn on the ac so the cool air can more easily replace the hot air and donât run the recirculation until the cabin temperature has dropped some.
EGGWURST@reddit
Tint your windows to the legal maximum. If your lucky your state might even allow windshield tint. Otherwise yeah crack a window or two and put up a sun shade
APGaming_reddit@reddit
ceramic tint and a windshield sunscreen thing work wonder. i cant leave my windows cracked because we have lots of wasps in the area and they like the mirrors and wheel wells but have been known to enter the cabin.
Gunk_Olgidar@reddit
Florida resident here who parked outside during the day in full sun and >90F for decades. Best bang for the buck: a folding sun shade (USD$10-$30 at Walmart).
More expensive and more effective: Window tint. Llumar film for the windshield, ceramic window tint for the rest. Any local shop reputable window tint shop can give you prices and options.
If it's not going to rain (or blow sandstorm dust), cracking the windows will be a huge help. If you live where rain is possible, you can buy snap-in tinted plastic side wind deflectors (\~$50) for most vehicles that allow you to crack the windows while still keeping rain from entering the vehicle.
As far as the paint and headlights are concerned, paint protection film is the best, but very expensive (several thousand dollars). Otherwise any spray wax coating like Mequiar's Hybrid Ceramic Wax (which is abundant and cheap and durable) will act as a sacrificial layer to keep UV damage of the paint to a minimum.
bomber991@reddit
I did have a windshield shade from Heat Shield Store. Theyâre insulated and custom cut to fit your windshield.
Well any ways, it bent in a little bit and focused the heat right on the rear view mirror, causing it to fall off.
So now I donât use a sun shade. I also rarely crack the windows because what if it rains? Just park under a tree and wash the bird poo off when it happens.
Gunk_Olgidar@reddit
Florida resident here who parked outside during the day in full sun and >90F for decades. Best bang for the buck: a folding sun shade (USD$10-$30 at Walmart).
More expensive and more effective: Window tint. Llumar film for the windshield, ceramic window tint for the rest. Any local shop reputable window tint shop can give you prices and options.
If it's not going to rain (or blow sandstorm dust), cracking the windows will be a huge help. If you live where rain is possible, you can buy snap-in tinted plastic side wind deflectors (\~$50) for most vehicles that allow you to crack the windows while still keeping rain from entering the vehicle.
WittyFix6553@reddit
Cars are built to live outside.
They live outside at the dealer before you buy them.
If being outside were bad for a car, dealerships would be climate controlled warehouses.
Nice-Zombie356@reddit
If you crack the windows, donât forget it often storms on hot afternoons.
bradland@reddit
UV is what you need to worry about.
hamburgernet@reddit
Ceramic tint. Didnât even have to go dark/illegal, still makes a noticeable difference
Chainsawsas70@reddit
You can get a "foil" pop up windshield cover for the inside, that will keep it a little bit cooler and then putting the Back windows down just ever so slightly will allow heat to vent. Tint is definitely a good idea too.
ForwardFIRE2030@reddit
I like to remind myself that a car (at least not a collectable) is an appliance. And while I want to take care of it and make it last, itâs just an appliance and I just need it to do its job effectively.
If your car has no tint get windows tinted (do some research, itâs not about the tint as much as it is about the heat it blocks. Doesnât need to be dark), sun visors, I always think I should wax my car more but with 3 kids and activities and full time job and side hustle, I just remind myself that itâs an appliance and as long as it does its job it donât have to look pretty.
unpolire@reddit
If you can't cover it with an aluminized reflective car cover, there are solar fans that you can use to decrease interior temperatures. The biggest issue is interior fabric, vinyl, and leather fading, shrinkage, or thread becoming damaged. The reflective window sun shades work to protect your interior. Legal tiny on rear windows is helpful and ceramic coat your paint if it cannot be covered. Cilajet "Aviation Grade" coating was applied to one of my vehicles when new, and 13 years later, looked the same with no scratches, chips, or fading.
CafeRoaster@reddit
Yep. Crack those windows and put up that sun shade. Rain visors for the windows help make it less noticeable that your windows are cracked if youâre worried about that. Window tint all around will help a ton.
Status-Compote5994@reddit
You can have a car port installed if you have a driveway. Â
Ive also seen an interesting sun shade umbrella type thing they put on car roofs in dubai or something.
Adding my vote to the ceramic tinting. Absolutely worth it.
637_649@reddit
The best way to cut heat a bit is with the exterior windshield cover that secured itself over your mirrors. Of course those can have their limitations, when it comes to high winds, and less than honest people.
XOM_CVX@reddit
Feel like window cracking doesn't do shit.
I live where it goes to 110. Car just sits in a sun quite often during summer time.
popcornfart@reddit
If your car is tinted - park facing north. The sun is to the south so your tinted back window will block some of the light.
LimeDry7124@reddit
They sell solar fans to put in the side windows. Also sunshades for the back and side glass. Could you afford a steel tube carport?
Australian_PM_Brady@reddit
Sun shade and window tint are the obvious ones and a lot of folks here in Arizona do ceramic paint coating.
NathanDeger@reddit
The windshield sunscreen helps a lot more if you use it right.
Try and park facing into the sun if you can, put the shade up, and crack the windows.
They also make window tint that isn't dark but blocks a significant portion of the infrared radiation.
revocer@reddit
Itâll be fine. Unless your car has white paint, itâs going to start peeling.
GhoulishGuitarist@reddit
I live in 110 degree almost year round. You're fine don't worry about it. Your car will be just as good as being parked in 30 degrees. Yeah the sun shade might make the car less hot to the touch of surfaces but no it doesn't change the temperature when you enter the car. It's not air conditioner.Â
IKnewThisYearsAgo@reddit
Get low-e window film added. No tint, yet rejects heat.
Heatshield usually has free shipping for Memorial Day, good opportunity to get a quality visor that fits perfectly.
jofa21@reddit (OP)
Will look into that, thanks!
Agile_Lawfulness9678@reddit
They sell solar powered fans that you can hang in the window ,but ya a visor in both front and back windows along with side window shades or a car cover but if you keep your car waxed or ceramic coated your paint will be fine
Careless-Internet-63@reddit
Your car will be fine if you leave all the windows closed and don't put a visor up, those are really only things you do for comfort
jayoshoowa87@reddit
Sunshade is worth it!
Need to do a tint for my fish bowl
aaronlt255@reddit
You could get one of those reflective things that goes on the inside of the windshield but you don't really need to unless your car is known for having a weak cracking dash
Sweet_Baby_Cheezus@reddit
A sunshade for the windshield to prevent interior fading is about the most you can do. Other than that, windows down will get you extra dust inside, windows up will make the car hot. Pick your poison.
aringa@reddit
I've never done anything special, windows up, etc. I've never noticed any negative consequences and I keep my cars s very long time. I'm also in a hot and humid part of the country.