It’s easy how dents and glass chips are bad for a car, but sometimes even small things like slamming doors can have a negative effect on your vehicle. Here are some easy ways to help reduce damage caused by too many slamming doors.
This practice is in large part a habit or the result of driving or having driven an older car since doors used to be heavier or require more force to shut. Here are three simple ways to break the habit of slamming car doors which will reduce wear and tear.
Make a conscious effort not to slam the door
This seems like a simple solution because it really is. If you're inclined to get out of the car and slam the door like you're storming away from an argument, try not to.
A lot of times people are preoccupied with their destination—be it home, errands, or work—when exiting a vehicle. Instead, focus on being present and putting forth effort to softly but effectively close the car door.
If notes and reminders are your thing, you can even put up reminder signs in your car to not slam the door. These notes will also serve as a notice to your vehicle passengers who might not consider how much force they use to shut the door.
Use a rubber butyl gasket or install a smooth door closer
In conjunction with trying not to slam the car door, installing a rubber butyl gasket around your car door will help to soften the force of closing it and protect the paint. The gasket essentially acts as a door-slam-stopper of sorts.
It's also a good idea to replace any old rubber butyl-type gasket that may already be on your vehicle. Like any gasket, they tend to wear out with time.
You can also try installing a smooth door closer. Much like the common mechanism that is popular on kitchen or bathroom cabinets in a home to prevent door slamming, installing a smooth door closer on your car does wonders.
It ensures that neither you nor your passengers can slam the door. That's because before you can exert too much force, the mechanism takes over and closes the door for you, softly.
One of the main factors the damage slamming the door causes is frequency. If it's an occasional thing that happens when you're in a hurry or on a blustery day, your car should be fine.
However, when it's a regular thing or a habit, parts of the car door like the latching mechanism can suffer wear that contributes to possible malfunction. This poses a major safety risk, as the door latch is what keeps the door from opening while we drive.
A damaged latch mechanism can mean that something as simple as a passenger leaning on the door could open it while the car is moving, causing injury to the passenger.
Besides safety hazards, there is also a risk of damaging the paint around your door. If the paint gets worn or chipped, it could welcome intrusive rust. Repainting and trying to repair rust damage can become costly and requires
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