Motoring experts have warned drivers that they should make sure to keep their vehicles away from alcohol during the UEFA Euro 2024 matches, as it could cause damage to the paintwork
Red flags has been raised for football fans eagerly awaiting the upcoming Euro 2024 football tournament.
Vehicle financing firm Select Car Leasing warns admirers of the beautiful game about potential damage to their motors from careless drink celebrations. Over-enthusiasm can sometimes result in drinks flying in jubilation but this habit could have damaging effects on your motors paintwork. Motoring expert Graham Conway offers insight into this, saying: “Football fans often get carried away in the moment and hurl their drinks into the air in celebration. But alcohol and vehicle paintwork is not a winning mix.
“And if your car does happen to get a boozy drenching, my advice would be to wash it off as soon as you can to avoid any long term damage.” Drawing comparisons to tree sap or bird droppings, Select Car Leasing pointed out that high-content alcoholic beverages can be just as harmful to a vehicle’s glossy exterior. Over prolonged exposure, the paint can fade rapidly under sunlight, and severe cases can even cause bubbles, leading to rust formation.
While minor detrimental effects can be rectified relatively cheaply, significant damages may incur a hefty professional respray cost, averaging around £2,000, reports the Express. Graham pointed out that the most severe damage is often caused by beverages with high alcohol or sugar levels, advising immediate action to clean any spills.
He said: “Pub tipples that have a much higher alcohol content, like spirits and wine, might be even more damaging should you get it on your car’s paintwork. Ciders with a high sugar content could also leave a mark if left for too long. If your car does get a soaking, make sure you give it a post-match wash.”
In a similar vein, fans who are looking forward to enjoying a pint or two while watching the Euros are being reminded to not drink and drive. The legal alcohol limit for drivers in England, Northern Ireland, and Wales is 80 milligrammes per 100 millilitres of blood, but in Scotland, it’s only 50 milligrammes.
Drivers found over the legal alcohol limit face severe penalties including an unlimited fine, a driving ban for at least one year, and potentially six months behind bars.
