How to keep your car (and yourself) cool this summer

4 Ways to Keep Your Car Cool this Summer.

No one wants to run the risk of getting too hot behind the wheel during the hottest months of the year.

Imagine your car’s interior hotting up at the height of summer, when the sun is blazing down on the dashboard, scorching heat is radiating off your steering wheel, and an unrelenting heat wave is transforming your vehicle into an oven on wheels… Sure, we’re painting a dramatic picture, but that’s what it feels like when you can’t keep your cool behind the wheel.

To avoid steering yourself towards an unbearable summer on the road, there are a few things you can do to keep the temperature down inside the car.

1. Get your windows tinted

There’s nothing worse than hopping into a boiling car. To avoid a ‘car sauna’ situation, consider investing in window tinting. It invites light in while keeping the sun’s thermal rays out (good tints even minimise the harmful events of UV rays).

The measurement for tinting is VLT – visible light transference. The lower the VLT, the darker the tint. The RACQ stipulates that privately owned vehicle tinting cannot be darker than 35% VLT on front side windows, 30% VLT on rear side windows, and 20% VLT your rear window. It’s import to note that it is illegal to tint your windscreen, which takes us to our second tip.

2. Invest in window shades

You may not be able to tint your windscreen (your car’s biggest sun magnet) but you can still avoid the heat with a good quality sun shade. While not overly ‘sexy’ in appearance, they essentially do the job of tinting without the hefty price tag.

A more DIY alternative is to simply throw a light-coloured towel or blanket across the dashboard, steering wheel and seats. While far from glamorous, rest assured it’ll get the job done.

Our favourite window shades at the moment are Snap Shades. You select your make, model and year and you can purchase shade the is perfect for your vehicle type.

3. Park smart

Where you park, your car will ultimately determine how hot it gets inside. On a scorching day, parking it out of the sun can make it more bearable to return to. Even if you don’t have a garage or covered carport at your disposal, parking it under a tree or in the shade can keep it significantly cooler.

Be mindful that as the sun moves, so does that shade. Also keep an eye on the parking terms and conditions in that area, as a cool interior may not be worth the $100 parking fine.

However, in the interest of maintaining blissful temperatures all summer long, there’s one final option.

4. Get your car air conditioner serviced

Regular car air conditioner servicing is critical to maintaining long-term comfort whenever you hit the road. When you’ve invested in a car with quality air conditioning, the last thing you’ll want to do is cough up for costly and unnecessary repairs come summer. Not only will the temperature be through the roof, but the costs will too.

Instead, put your car air conditioning in the hands of qualified experts who can quickly identify a common leak, as well as assess your compressor performance, sensor failures, leaking condensers and evaporators. A regular service will essentially ensure you’re never caught out in the height of summer.

In Brisbane – one of the hottest cities in Australia – our Accelerate Automotive technicans are the best team for the job. European cars are our specialty, so if you’re looking to keep your vehicle comfortable all year round, look no further than a service with our team.

Click here to book your car air conditioner service.