Car exterior

Your sunshade would have no effect on the rate at which your paint fades. The reason your bonnet and roof are fading is because they receive more sun than any other panel and tend to receive less attention when your car is being washed. It is recommended to wash your vehicle at least once a month and then treat the panel work to a wax and polish.

A specialised rust stain remover may assist, however if this does not deliver an acceptable outcome, it may be worthwhile inquiring with your insurer as to whether you are entitled to a new replacement windscreen as part of your policy.

The WA Department of Transport issued a Vehicle Safety and Standards Information Bulletin in August 2015 regarding the use of LED light bars as additional driving lamps. The Australian Design Rules (ADR) 13/00 previously required that additional headlights be fitted in pairs only. This inadvertently prohibited the fitment and use of LED light bars when this later technology became available. Provided they are fitted according to a number of conditions, LED light bars can now be exempted from the original ADR requirement. 

Yes, this is correct. The manufacturers advise not to touch the globes with bare hands and that they should only be handled by holding the metal base. Regardless of how clean our hands are, the oils on our fingers can cause hot spots on the glass, which may cause the globe to break or shorten its lifespan. This is especially true for halogen globes and lamps, which are commonly used in headlights.

Wash your vehicle at least once a month and keep treating the panel work with a good brand of UV-resistant wax and polish. Keep the vehicle under cover and away from UV light and weather extremes as much as possible. Do not park your vehicle under trees that produce sap (this mostly applies to Australian native flora) or plants that attract a lot of birds. If the vehicle is exposed to salt water, salt air, mud or red dirt, wash and polish it as soon as you can, or at least give it a rinse down with clean, fresh water. 

Due to the age of the vehicle, paint and its protection start to break down. There is no guarantee further fading won’t occur, however it can be slowed. Ensure you wash your vehicle at least once a month and keep treating the paintwork with a good brand of UV-resistant wax and polish. Keep the vehicle under cover and away from UV light and weather extremes as much as possible. Do not park vehicles under trees that produce sap or plants that attract a lot of birds. Also, if the vehicle is exposed to salt water, salt air, mud or red dirt, wash and polish the vehicle as soon as you can.

It is never safe to drive with a damaged windscreen. When a windscreen is damaged it won’t have the same structural integrity at a time when you may need it most. The size and position of the crack will determine whether the crack needs repairing or the windscreen needs replacing. If it has been cracked or smashed completely, it is essential to seek immediate windscreen repair or replacement.

A first step would be to replace both the wiper blades with high quality items. Also, do not attempt to clean the new wiper blades. They have a lubricating coating which can reduce wiper shuddering and streaking. You should clean your windscreen regularly and replace your wiper blades on an annual basis.