Are we expecting a heat wave this summer? You are darn tooting we are. If you aren’t used to having to keep a parked car cool in the heat then here are some tips for you…
Use a Sunshade
Photo credit: Michael McCauslin
I have a sort of interesting story about car sunshades. These are the metallic looking screens which you put across the inside of your windscreen. You see them all the time in hot countries and when I lived in Spain, one of my British neighbours claimed that he had invented them but had the idea stolen off him.
He claimed that he had gone to one of the big auto firms and they had started producing the things a few months later without ever getting back to him. It was probably a complete lie on his part, but I like to picture his face whenever I see one of these things. They are very good at keeping the car cool, by the way.
Blanket on the Seats
Do you remember that cheesy old song about putting the blanket on the ground? Well, these versatile pieces of fabric are useful for more than just rekindling the flames of a long term relationship which you have been neglecting lately. By putting one on the car seat or over the steering wheel then you keep it cool for your return. Of course, if you want to go walking to that spot down by the river with it afterwards that’s up to you.
Use Common Sense
Parking in the shade or leaving your windows open a tiny bit can make a big difference to the temperature inside your car if you leave it sitting there a while.
Some Water
If you forget to do anything to keep the inside of the car cool before you walk away then it needn’t be a disaster. On your return you can wind down the windows and then splash some water over the steering wheel, the gear stick and maybe even the seats. It won’t make a huge difference but it might make you feel a bit cooler.