Problems with the sun and no garage in SoCal. Recommendations?

[gtc]

I'm in LA now and its hot here.

I don't have a garage to park the RS4 in, and I am thinking of getting a car port installed where I am currently living. The type of car port I am thinking of is in the picture above.

Would you guys recommend rolling down the windows all the time to keep the interior temperature down? Front windshield shades?

What's the best way to baby the car while it's parked at my house in the sun?

Right now, the car is parked in the garage at my in-laws' house but I have to move it soon - thus the car port idea.

Thanks for any advice or recommendations.

[RS4SPKS]

As will ceramic window tint, a sunshield, and a noah car cover (see california car cover for that)!

Also get the 3M "clear tint" (which blocks UV rays) for your windshield too.

[wildzx]

i say go for a good car cover, i don't think a car port or a canopy is going to help allot... i will be purchasing a rs4 and will be parked outside and planning to get a car cover. Hopefully, someone here can advise which car cover to get

[greatwhiteshark]

scratch the paint very easily.

I live in SoCal too and tried about 4 PepBoys this week looking for sun shades - all sold out everywhere. I'm going to try eBay next.

[Bob W.]

I find it interesting that you live somewhere in SoCal that has room for a car port (not to mention, somewhere that has a HOA that will *allow* you to build a car port), yet you have no garage? Why not just build a single car garage instead of a car port? One of those manufactured steel buildings would be an inexpensive way to do that.

In terms of interior heat reduction, the sunshades that come with the car and a good fitted windshield sunshade (Audi makes one that is about $30) have been adequate for my purposes...I have no window tint, and it gets pretty warm here in San Antonio. One thing I would recommend is to VAG your car so that you can roll all the windows down with the key fob....I do this as I'm walking out to the car at the end of the day, and the interior temp probably drops 50 degrees in a few seconds.

[Bob W.]

[Campbell_2.7T]

There are many things you can do to protect your interior and exterior.

Exterior - Definitely build a carport if you can. A garage is better, but a carport will still keep most tree sap and bird droppings off your car. Bird poo is your #1 enemy as it is acidic and will scar your paint in a matter of minutes in hot weather. Stay away from car covers, as they will micro-mar your paint unless your car is freshly washed. Also, apply a good synthetic wax (I use Klasse) but only apply when the car is cool and shaded!!

Interior - Many options here. The first is window tint. CA doesn't allow tint on front windows but many do it anyways. Or as RS4SPKS stated, 3M Crystalline is clear but blocks almost all UV rays and heat. Also, buy a front sunshade and use the ones in the rear doors and rear window. Treat your interior rubbers, vinyls, and leathers with 303 aerospace protectant, it is the best product to resist cracking and fading and uv radiation. Finally, crack your moonroof about an inch as vinyls and plastics release a chemical "haze" when heated that will settle on your interior windows unless it can escape.

Do some of these (good) or all of them (best) and your car will look better than most who garage theirs!

Further reading:

Scroll to Sun Lovers Beware

[Parikh1234]

[Reggie]

[gtc]

is because where I live is very temporary. I will live here for about 6 months as I look for a house to buy and settle down in to raise a family. I am allowed to put up a car port because my wife's father owns this property.

This house already had a garage that was converted into a rental unit.