A car bonnet, also called a car hood, is the hinged panel that covers the engine of a front-engine vehicle. It protects the auto parts that are crucial for the performance of your car while providing easy access for repairs and maintenance at the same time. Unfortunately, the car bonnet is susceptible to many problems – some are avoidable, some are not.
The easiest way to protect your car’s hood is by keeping it clean, not subjecting it to heavy loads, and ensuring that its hinges are in good working condition. You can also add protective layers to it to prevent dents and chipping off of paint.
I’m going to discuss all these methods and answer all your questions in the sections below.
What Are Common Car Bonnet Problems?
Loose Hinges – One of the most common problems involving car bonnets occurs in the hinges, which connect the car bonnet to the body of the car. Over time and due to excessive usage, the hinges can become loose or start producing squeaky sounds.
Scratches and Dents on the Hood – Scratches and dents will significantly reduce the appeal of your car and can expose the car bonnet material, resulting in corrosion.
How Do You Avoid or Solve Car Bonnet Issues?
Many of these tips and solutions are commonsense, while some may need a bit more that that. Here goes:
1. Don’t place heavy objects on the car bonnet
The car hood is not designed to carry heavy objects, so you shouldn’t subject it to such loads. Yet, it’s quite too common to see people sitting on their car bonnet.
Can you sit on a car bonnet?
You can, but you really shouldn’t. Do you think your car bonnet can take your weight? There is a great chance that you could cause a dent on the car hood if you put all your weight on it, so it’s best to avoid it.
2. Use a good paint protection film (PPF) to prevent dents and chips
When stone chips happen, they would have already happened regardless of whatever precautions you had taken. That’s the sad thing about it, but some things can help you avoid them and keep your car looking spotless for a longer period.
If you're a good observer, you’ll know which parts of your car will most likely be hit by stones and sharp objects from the road, so you can start planning out how to protect those sections with PPF.
What is a paint protection film and how does it protect a car hood?
A PPF is a thermoplastic urethane film applied over your car. Think about it as wrapping your car with a transparent film that doesn't hurt the way your car looks.
It's the best practical method to protect your car bonnet from stone chips. The best practice is to use the paint protection film on the bumper, bonnet, rocker panels, and fenders of your car.
Paint Protection Film is not very expensive, and it can save your car's aesthetics from abrasions, splatters, and stone chips. Paint protection films can be called the absolute car bonnet protector.
3. Act on minor dents or chips on the car bonnet right away
If a stone chip occurs to a plastic panel, such as your car’s bumper, wheel arch trim or plastic skirt, you don't have to rush to get it patched. But if the stone chip occurs on a metal panel and exposes the inner material, there is a chance that the surrounding paint might begin to bubble, with the metal starting to rust.
If this happens to your car hood, it would be a good idea to find some touch-up paint and apply it on the affected section. Of course, it won't give you 100% perfection, but it will surely stop the area from rusting, prevent the damage from getting worse, and reduce future repair costs.
If you're not familiar with this, I suggest you consult a local shop or even an online business to get an idea of the price for repair. Find auto paint shops from our directory.
4. Keep the hood clean especially from bird poop, twigs, and leaves
You should be watchful of bird poop. Yeah, bird poop making a landing on your car bonnet. If you let it stay on your car's paint for long, it won't go without leaving its mark on it. While I can't tell you the thing’s exact pH level - primarily because it depends on the bird and what it ate - everything in that territory is acidic in nature.
So the best thing to do is to clean it the moment you see it before it gets worse. The quicker you get to it, the easier it is to do. I don’t want to rant longer on this, but if you let it dry, solidify, and etch itself onto the uppermost layer of your car's paint, it will turn nastier by the day. You will then need to do extra effort to make it come off, and not without it leaving its telltale sign saying, “I’ve been here!”
5. Use a car bonnet bra, car bonnet wrap or car bonnet guard
Let me first explain to you what these are and how they can protect your car bonnet.
A car bonnet bra or the front-end bra is a vinyl cover that protects your car bonnet from scratches, stone chips, and big splatters. You can also use it to cover up scrapes and damage if you want to delay repairing those.
Bonnet bras come in various styles, patterns, and colours and can be tailored for individual models with easily adjustable retaining straps. They can be effortlessly installed by a single person and without need for many tools. If you don't want to put a full bonnet bra on your car, you can opt for a three-quarter or a half bra for a less noticeable look without significantly compromising the protection.
Are car bonnet bras easy to install and remove?
Yes, they are! You can put them on your car for long journeys to avoid high-speed chipping incidents that may hurt your car bonnet and take them off when you’re home.
If you’re not averse to detailing and customisation, you can choose a car bonnet wrap. It improves your car's look and style, adds contrast to your car with a lighter or darker finish, lends texture, and also covers up a dent or stone chip on the car hood. A car bonnet wrap can last up to 5 to 7 years.
A bonnet guard is another acrylic cover that you can accessorise your car with to protect your windscreen and car bonnet from stone chips, bugs, and road debris. It fits the front of your car bonnet and can also cover up any scratches or damage.
A car ceramic coating is a nano-coating that protects your car from most scratches, chemical contaminants and dirt. It doesn't cause any damage to the original paint, and it also makes the car easier to clean.
Conclusion
I’ve provided you with the most common issues that can damage your car bonnet and the most effective solutions, either by preventing them from occurring or fixing them once they have occurred.
Yet, you may still ask,
"Can they protect my car bonnet?"
"Do I have to do all these to keep my car from scratches and dents?"
Well, you can choose any one of these approaches if you want to keep your car looking new. But I'd say even the best professional drivers can't always deny a bird the pleasure of doing its business on their car bonnet. That's why it's better to protect your valuable car's paint with a car ceramic coating or PPF or at least a car bonnet bra. The bird poop you can quickly wipe or wash off, but stone chips can drastically change the way your car bonnet looks.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Do car bonnet bras ruin paint?
There is a chance that car bonnet bras can hasten the fading of the paint on your car's bonnet. This is due to the constant rubbing of dirt and debris against the car bonnet. A more straightforward remedy for this is to remove and wash the underside of the car bonnet bra and use it when you're most likely to hit rough terrain.
2. How long does ceramic coating last on a car? Do I need to reapply?
Ceramic coatings can last up to 2 to 3 years. This is because a nano-ceramic layer forms a semi-permanent bond to the surface of your car, so it will not wash off, and maybe after two years, you might have to reapply it.
3. Does paint protection film damage paint?
PPF is a durable coating that can withstand a lot of punishment from the dirt on the road or from birds and pets. In addition, PPF doesn't damage the car's paint, and in fact, it keeps the car's paint very much protected.
4. How long does paint protection film last?
I have no exact number for that, but you will count years. It depends mostly on how you wash your car. Keep the following reminders in mind whenever you wash your car.
- Always use a liquid-based car wash and an extra soft sponge to wash the car.
- Don't use a high-pressure water hose closer than 36 inches from your car's surface, and be careful around the corners.
- Dust and wax the film to prevent dirt buildup around the corners and maintain its glossy finish.
5. Which is better, paint protection film or car ceramic coating?
Both of them serve the purpose, but you’ll do well to follow this suggestion when you drive your car through busy, rough roads:
It would be best if you choose car ceramic coating for your entire car because it's good for the looks and makes cleaning easier. For the most vulnerable parts like the bumper and the car bonnet, you should use PPF coating. It's good for the purse and healthy for your car's paint.
For more car maintenance tips, visit our blog at Carpart.com.au! And if you’ll ever need auto parts and accessories, we will be very happy to assist you in searching for sellers who have them. This service is FREE; you only need to send us a car parts request! So what are you waiting for, try and get a quote today!
By Sooraj Sj