Does sun bake rubber trim?

My friend got a job in Florida (West Palm Beach) and is afraid to take
his new 530 BMW with him because "it's too hot down there". He is
afraid that the sun will bake out the plasticizers from the rubber
trim that is designed for colder German weather. What do you suggest?
--
Leon

Leon wrote:
>
> My friend got a job in Florida (West Palm Beach) and is afraid to take
> his new 530 BMW with him because "it's too hot down there". He is
> afraid that the sun will bake out the plasticizers from the rubber
> trim that is designed for colder German weather. What do you suggest?
> --
> Leon

The UV in sunlight degrades all organics, including rubber,
over time. I don't think that heat has much to do with that
process directly, likely it's that the sun is higher at
lower lattitude and spends more time at angles that present
the least thickness of atmosphere.

Regarding quality, my Fieros have rubber sealing strips,
called "dew wipes" commonly, that seal the gap between the
outer top door edge and the side glass. These turn hard as
a rock and crack in only 10-12 years. My '81 Subaru wagon's
dew wipes are 24 years old now and are just about as supple
as they were new. Apparently the rubber formulation used by
Subaru was clearly superior to that used by GM, and I suspect
that the same would be the case with your friend's German car.

The whole issue is moot if he parks in the shade most of the
time.

JazzMan
--
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(Leon >) scribbled:

> My friend got a job in Florida (West Palm Beach) and is afraid to take
> his new 530 BMW with him because "it's too hot down there". He is
> afraid that the sun will bake out the plasticizers from the rubber
> trim that is designed for colder German weather. What do you suggest?

.... covered parking and/or car cover

--
<< http://michaeljtobler.homelinux.com (Metallica - Master Of Puppets) >>
"I may not be totally perfect, but parts of me are excellent."
-- Ashleigh Brilliant

(JazzMan >) scribbled:

> Regarding quality, my Fieros have rubber sealing strips,
> called "dew wipes" commonly, that seal the gap between the
> outer top door edge and the side glass. These turn hard as
> a rock and crack in only 10-12 years. My '81 Subaru wagon's
> dew wipes are 24 years old now and are just about as supple
> as they were new. Apparently the rubber formulation used by
> Subaru was clearly superior to that used by GM

.... probably GM marketing got involved in the design:
"hey, make those things to not last so long, so we
can sell the parts in the [near] future"


--
<< http://michaeljtobler.homelinux.com (Metallica - Orion) >>
The idea is to die young as late as possible. - Ashley Montague

On Thu, 5 May 2005, Leon wrote:

> My friend got a job in Florida (West Palm Beach) and is afraid to take
> his new 530 BMW with him because "it's too hot down there". He is afraid
> that the sun will bake out the plasticizers from the rubber trim that is
> designed for colder German weather. What do you suggest?

I suggest your friend get over his prissy widdle self. If he's losing so
much sleep over the inevitable eventual deterioration of his pwecious BMW
(by rust in the North, by UV in the South), then he should sell the car
and obtain whatever his ignorant little brain considers better suited to
the sunny climate in Florida.

On Thu, 5 May 2005 17:56:07 -0400, "Daniel J. Stern"
> wrote:

>On Thu, 5 May 2005, Leon wrote:
>
>> My friend got a job in Florida (West Palm Beach) and is afraid to take
>> his new 530 BMW with him because "it's too hot down there". He is afraid
>> that the sun will bake out the plasticizers from the rubber trim that is
>> designed for colder German weather. What do you suggest?
>
>I suggest your friend get over his prissy widdle self. If he's losing so
>much sleep over the inevitable eventual deterioration of his pwecious BMW
>(by rust in the North, by UV in the South), then he should sell the car
>and obtain whatever his ignorant little brain considers better suited to
>the sunny climate in Florida.

OK, I'll let him know that he should have been richer. Right now he
can afford to buy the car but he cannot afford to ruin it and get
nothing for it in 4 or 5 years.
--
Leon

On Fri, 6 May 2005, Leon wrote:

> >> My friend got a job in Florida (West Palm Beach) and is afraid to
> >> take his new 530 BMW with him because "it's too hot down there". He
> >> is afraid that the sun will bake out the plasticizers from the rubber
> >> trim that is designed for colder German weather. What do you suggest?
> >
> >I suggest your friend get over his prissy widdle self. If he's losing
> >so much sleep over the inevitable eventual deterioration of his
> >pwecious BMW (by rust in the North, by UV in the South), then he should
> >sell the car and obtain whatever his ignorant little brain considers
> >better suited to the sunny climate in Florida.

> OK, I'll let him know that he should have been richer.

Looks as if you have a reading comprehension problem.

> Right now he can afford to buy the car but he cannot afford to ruin it
> and get nothing for it in 4 or 5 years.

Is he -- and are you -- *SERIOUSLY* as stupid, ignorant and fearful of
ghosts as you're making yourself look?

On Fri, 06 May 2005 02:04:48 +0300, Leon >
wrote:

>On Thu, 5 May 2005 17:56:07 -0400, "Daniel J. Stern"
> wrote:
>
>>On Thu, 5 May 2005, Leon wrote:
>>
>>> My friend got a job in Florida (West Palm Beach) and is afraid to take
>>> his new 530 BMW with him because "it's too hot down there". He is afraid
>>> that the sun will bake out the plasticizers from the rubber trim that is
>>> designed for colder German weather. What do you suggest?
>>
>>I suggest your friend get over his prissy widdle self. If he's losing so
>>much sleep over the inevitable eventual deterioration of his pwecious BMW
>>(by rust in the North, by UV in the South), then he should sell the car
>>and obtain whatever his ignorant little brain considers better suited to
>>the sunny climate in Florida.
>
>OK, I'll let him know that he should have been richer. Right now he
>can afford to buy the car but he cannot afford to ruin it and get
>nothing for it in 4 or 5 years.

If he's moving to Florida, he doesn't have to worry about the sun
baking anything. The humidity helps to counteract that.

Now if he were in Arizona, I'd recommend getting sealcoat put on
everything, including his face.

Leon wrote:
>
> My friend got a job in Florida (West Palm Beach) and is afraid to take
> his new 530 BMW with him because "it's too hot down there". He is
> afraid that the sun will bake out the plasticizers from the rubber
> trim that is designed for colder German weather. What do you suggest?
> --
> Leon

I would be more concerned about the paint burning off the car
or it being stolen.

On Fri, 06 May 2005 02:04:48 +0300, Leon >
wrote:

>OK, I'll let him know that he should have been richer. Right now he
>can afford to buy the car but he cannot afford to ruin it and get
>nothing for it in 4 or 5 years.


In five years you still have a five year old car whether it is driven
and enjoyed or put away and held on to. If he thinks the trim stuff
is going to make a huge difference in sales price then buy new trim
and put it on in five years. I realise it is a nice car but its
nothing really that special that would make it a collectors item in
five years. It will be just another old used car.

Steve B.