“A rusty car has that vintage look that no other cars possess”, said no one ever. While it’s not a real disaster if you have a few nodes of corroded metals in the bodywork, leaving them there for a while could fasten the corroding process in a near-exponential manner, not linear.

1. Why do cars get rust?

First, let’s review some of the old physics lessons. The reasons behind corrosion are a chemical process that involves a cathode, an anode, and the electrolyte. The anode is any metal piece that is filled with negative electrons waiting to be released, while a  cathode is a metal piece that can absorb those electrons. The electrolyte plays as a metaphorical bridge between those 2 things that quicken the chemical process. And the corroded spots on your car is the result of electrons leaving the anode for the cathode.

In short, that aforementioned chemical process frequents any surface that is metal. The corrosion sometimes can dig a deep hole in the outer layer of the car and leave irreversible damage to the bodywork. While damages on the “surface” level don’t sound that serious, it would cross a zero off the price of the car when resale. And unless you’re driving the car of your dream, you would want to change your car at some point in your life.

You don’t want your car to look like this, do you?

2. Rusty cars are not something uncommon, especially in hot and humid climate areas

Normally, a vehicle that’s properly painted is not that easy to catch rust, because the paint you see on a car is the result of multiple paint layering, one of some of it are protective layer(s), which cover the metal part so that it wouldn’t be exposed to the outside agents of erosion. So your car should be repellant of erosion, right? Not so much, because who can’t drive without a bump here and there? especially in a crowded city like Lagos. When it happens, a small metal part inside is exposed, the surface of the car plays as both the anode and cathode while the humid atmosphere is the electrolyte and the corrosion starts right there and quickly expand to the areas around. With the all the bumpy and crowded roads in Nigeria, the hot and humid nature of a tropical country like Nigeria, rustic cars are prevalent

Unfortunately, the bad condition of Nigeria roads encourages the occurrence of rust

3. It’s not as bad as it sounds

Despite all of the above bloomy prospect, your car doesn’t catch rust as easily as you’d think. Most car companies have done a great job with their vehicle by providing it with quality paint that wouldn’t wear out, at least not until the end of the insurance period. Once the period is due, you should make a schedule to visit the auto regularly, particularly after a rough road trip where a bump here and there is unavoidable. The protection measure is relatively simple, a lubricant bottle or a layer of wax should be sufficient and you can do that at home. Some other hard to reach areas might require taking it to an auto service for they have a specialized-shaped equipment to help with it.

Removing rust stains off of car paint