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| Don''t let your car get this hot, especially if it is an Altima, put on solar shield! |
A RECENT test by the University of KwaZulu-Natal confirmed solar
shields for car windows can stop 99,5% of cancer-causing ultra violet rays, but
a local franchisor for such a product, Hennie Grobler, warns not all solar films
are made equal.
Grobler said Auto Armor, importers of smash and grab as well as
solar film from sunny California, can confidently claim its Heatshield solar
film blocks 85% of the oven-hot infra-red rays; and 99% of the cancer-causing
ultra violet rays.
To prove this claim he arranged for an independent test by
agrometeorologist Dr Alistair Clulow, using five vehicles provided by Barons in
Pietermaritzburg.
Grobler told Wheels the
tests by Dr Clulow showed the reduction in dangerous ultra violet rays with the
Heatshield was actually 99,5%. If the windows are left open about a centimetre
so that the hot air can escape from the vehicle, Dr Clulow’s measurements also
found cars equipped with Auto Armor’s solar film are on average eight degrees
Celsius cooler than a car without solar film on the windows.
Grobler said in his personal experience an eight-degree drop in
temperature meant not having to use his car’s air conditioner, which saves him
fuel, and the product’s anti-glare properties makes driving at night a pleasure.
He said the solar film also prevents fading and cracking of your
vehicle’s dashboard, seats and upholstery.
Grobler said what set Auto Armor’s window film apart from that of
its competitors was the lifetime guarantee. This includes peeling,
discolouration, fading and cracking of the film.
As a man who sold chemicals on farms in the Free State, KZN and
Eastern Cape, Grobler urged everyone who spent many hours on the road to make
this investment in their skin’s health.
He also pointed out that heat shields and smash and grab films have
different functions. “Smash and grab are not designed to stop harmful rays from
the Sun, but prevents a window from shattering.”
If budget constraints mean choosing between the smash and grab or
solar film, which retails for between R2 500 and R3 000 per vehicle, Grobler
advised people who drive a lot to start with a solar shield.
“A smash and grab is a risk, but solar radiation is a certainty in
South Africa,” he said.
