Car accessories that can easily make car owners regret
For new car buyers, being too caught up in buying additional accessories without knowing the effects or consequences can easily lead to regret after a while due to the damage encountered.
Car accessories can bring many benefits and add comfort to the driver and passengers. However, not all of them are good for the health and performance of the car.
Some non-genuine or improperly installed auto accessories can cause damage to the vehicle or endanger the vehicle's occupants.
Below are some accessories that can cause damage to your vehicle if not selected and installed properly:
1. Door and trunk trim with rubber gasket
The trend of using U-shaped rubber gaskets sold online, bought and attached to the edges of car doors, trunk doors, and hood edges, was formed 5 or 6 years ago and has been followed by many car owners. The "winged" advertisements of the sellers about the great effects of this type of gasket such as protecting the edges of the door from scratches, impacts, protecting the original paint, while the cost is very cheap, only 5-10 thousand VND/meter, making car owners trust.
Mr. Vu Quang Huy (Ba Dinh, Hanoi) was one of the first people to realize the mistake of using rubber strips on the door edge. He said: "When I first bought a Hyundai Grand i10 after many years of saving, I loved the car very much and cleaned it all the time. People said that rubber coating would make the paint last longer, so I bought it and did as I was told. But after 1 year, I accidentally saw yellow rust flowing out from the door edge. I opened it up and was shocked to see that under the rubber coating was patchy, stained, and yellow rust. I had to spend money to repaint it."
According to experts, with hot and humid air and frequent rains, Vietnam's climate is not suitable for rubber coating painted surfaces, especially in areas with metal, because it can easily cause paint explosions, leading to metal oxidation.
2. Exterior chrome trim
Similar to rubber gaskets, many car users have a hobby of installing shiny chrome-plated accessories on the outside of the car, typically on the door handles, door recesses, window frames, footrests, headlight edges, taillight edges, etc.
Initially, when newly installed, the car looks bright and... safe for the details to not be scratched or broken during use. But over time, dirt sticks inside, the narrow slots cannot be cleaned, leading to a thicker layer of dirt.
Many covers use adhesive tape, which when removed leaves jagged marks, even peels off the paint, or the sharp surface of the cover, if not treated properly, can be dangerous for users, especially children.
3. Wheel size:
Installing wheel rims can easily make the owner feel satisfied and excited when he is bored with the old style. However, installing wheel rims that are different from the allowed technical specifications can change the diameter and weight of the wheel, causing imbalance and affecting the suspension and steering system of the car.
Besides, if the installation is not correct, it can cause vibration and damage to other important parts in the transmission system.
4. Exhaust modification
Installing a car exhaust can change the sound and performance of the exhaust system, giving it a sporty feel or simply enhancing the aesthetics (single exhaust to dual exhaust or exhaust to both sides).
However, if you do not choose a quality exhaust or install it incorrectly, it can cause excessive noise, reduce engine power and damage the exhaust system.
5. Temporary steering wheel cover
Steering wheel covers (also known as steering wheel covers) are a fairly popular car accessory that many car owners in Vietnam are advertised to have to increase aesthetics, protect the original steering wheel surface and create a better driving feeling. However, if used incorrectly, steering wheel covers can be counterproductive.
Many car owners have been "resentful" because after many years of use, the cover causes the inside of the steering wheel to become "green and red moldy", and the surface of the handle is degraded and difficult to restore to its original state.
The reason is that the steering wheel cover has not been cleaned for a long time and has become a place to store dirt, sweat, and cleaning water. When combined with the hot and humid air in the car, it will cause bacteria and mold to grow inside and thereby deform the surface of the steering wheel.
