SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) —Winter is here and salt is on the roads.
Kyle Wood, an auto technician at Start Fresh, said it’s time for people to pay more attention to their cars.
Wood said over time driving on salt-covered roads will cause cars to corrode. He said the rust typically appears near your back tires first.
“When we are driving down the roads, the tires are kicking all that salt underneath the vehicle along the frame area and the lower rocker panels on the vehicle’s body,” Wood said.
Wood said washing your car is the best way to get the salt off. He said it is recommended to wash cars in the winter at least once a week.
He said the salt will build upon the car over time and a chemical reaction will occur.
He said the paint then wears away and the metal begins to chip and break.
Wood said once a car is damaged by corrosion, it may take a professional to repair it.
Wood said there are ways to prevent cars from rusting.
“A nice coat of wax keeps the radiation from the sun from damaging the clear coat and lubricating it,” Wood said. “Grease or anything that has a solvent that keeps moisture away would resolve the issue from rust accumulating from the vehicle.”
Syracuse resident Meg Piwkot said she washes her car when she starts to see the dirt.
“Sometimes I’ll take it to the car wash because they do a nicer job than I do,” Piwkot said.
But Wood said you can take care of your car at home. He said store-bought products like car wax can spare the life of your car.
