When you spend thousands of dollars on a vehicle, you want it to look its best for years to come. With a bit of TLC, elbow grease, and regular maintenance, you can keep your car’s candy paint looking brand new. Here are seven make-or-brake tips to help your smooth cruiser look and feel good no matter what the odometer says.
Opt for enclosed carrier shipping
If you’re ever relocating to a faraway locale, shipping your car can drastically reduce the wear and tear of a cross-country road trip. With that said, cars can endure a lot of damage when sending them in open air carriers. Highly-reviewed auto transport providers like Guardian Auto Transport, a car transportation provider located in Texas will promise to protect your vehicle from the elements so that your car arrives at its final destination dent-free.
Become a regular at the car wash
Most people don’t go to the car wash unless it’s a necessity. These drivers make a bi-annual pilgrimage after driving on a particularly muddy road or too much salt has accumulated in the wintertime. In reality, you should wash your car every two weeks to maintain high paint quality.
If you’re not a fan of the soapy light show at your local car wash, you can do the job just as well with a sponge and a soap bucket at home. Just remember to buy car-specific soap and wax.
Maintain a clean interior
If you never want to lose that “new car smell,” then you might need to invest more time into your interior. It’s not as simple as hanging a pine tree air freshener. You should vacuum the interior at least once a month and clean any spills or messes as soon as they occur. If you’re looking for an extra boost in your back-to-new maintenance regime, consider hiring a professional detailing service for your interior. Don’t forget to use your floor mats, of course. They make up a sizable portion of your car’s interior. Your car’s appearance can be ruined by dirty, worn-out floor mats, but they can also present safety risks. They increase your chances of tripping and falling and can aggravate allergies and asthma. As a result, you should establish a routine for frequently changing your floor mats. You may also want to upgrade your floor mats to more durable ones with a rubber-like, flexible material that fits snuggly along the bottom of your car’s footwell.
Get your car waxed
Waxing a car will help maintain the paint job and give it a nice shine. Just keep in mind that waxing isn’t the only step in getting your vehicle shiny. You will need to prepare the paint to accept the wax thoroughly. Then the paint and wax can combine to make that glossy, candy paint finish that image-conscious car owners dream about.
Clean the windows
Nothing says “old car,” like windows full of fingerprints. People don’t usually pay as close attention to their car’s windows as the rest of the exterior, but they’re so easy to clean you might as well. Select your favorite glass cleaner and keep it in your trunk with a rag for quick application.
Remove foreign substances from the paint immediately
Leaving bird poop on your car is the opposite of proper maintenance. It will make your car look worse than almost any other mess and can ruin your paint job if left unchecked. Keeping an emergency cleaner in the vehicle for these kinds of messes is the best way to ensure your paint job doesn’t suffer from the forces of nature.
Avoid rough roads
Unless your car is designed for off-roading, there’s no need to put it through that kind of punishment. Try to drive on well-paved roads as much as possible to keep your car looking brand new.
In the end
Car maintenance is an everyday task, especially with how different modern cars are from their tank-like ancestors. That said, all it takes is a bit of TLC to keep your car looking fresh from the lot.
