Acid Rain in Hawaii - affect your paint on cars? (house, buy)

[whtviper1]

I'm in Oahu on a vog day, around lunch today it started raining - and I said to my co-worker, that can't be good - and she said, "yeah - it is acid rain with the vog". I've always had garage parking for work and that recently changed - question is - for those of you in vog areas, like Kona - is it impacting the paint on your car?

[CyberCity]

No.

[khyron]

Click this map to be taken to an EPA web site through which you can find out about acid rain in the USA on a region by region basis:



[source: http://www.epa.gov/acidrain/where/]

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

Interesting question, White Viper. In the five years of active vog emissions, the impact on car's paint has never been mentioned. We haven't noticed any changes on our cars, which are already being assaulted by the moisture from the salt water.

Living downwind from the volcano, we do see a lot of fine dark particles on the outside of the house and inside around open windows.

[whtviper1]

Ok, good to know it doesn't seem to be impacting car paint. The buzz in the office was getting cars to the car wash ASAP with the combo of rain and vog which is pretty rare.

[thatguy950]

Ever since this stuff came out a few years ago it's been the only wax I use. It's not really a wax, but kind of a paint sealant, it's incredible stuff that blows all other waxes away, although it's rather pricey. Been using it on my black Mercedes for a long time and only need to apply it once every 6months, and that's being OCD. Apparently it helps protect against acid rain.



I buy it online from Amazon typically. When I get back in HNL I plan on using it every 3 months, just a thin coat, because of the intensity of the sun. My dad uses it on his cars as well in the desert SW and they still look brand new even in those extreme conditions.

[OpenD]

Yes, the SO2 in volcanic emissions does combine with natural haze to form vog, and yes when it rains that forms a mild sulfuric acid solution.

Modern car finishes are pretty much able to deal with it. The real issue is with exposed metal parts. Over time you can see metal pitting and loss of bright finishes if left unwashed.

[MitchTempo]

Originally Posted by whtviper1

Ok, good to know it doesn't seem to be impacting car paint. The buzz in the office was getting cars to the car wash ASAP with the combo of rain and vog which is pretty rare.

Car wash is probly overkill, rinse off with water and hand wipe the car down. The problem with acid rain isn't that its stripping your paint immediately, since its heavily diluted with all the water. Its when you leave the beaded water on your car as the sun shines on it all day after the rain. Once the water starts drying up, and what's left on your paint is droplets of highly concentrated sulfuric acid is when it starts pitting. The damage starts looking like waterspots that can't get buffed out.