WHETHER IT’S A SUBCOMPACT HATCHBACK, A SENSIBLE FAMILY SALOON or a snazzy red convertible, cars are very significant investments. At the same time, it embodies the image that you want to show your friends, co-works and other drivers. Keeping your car looking new keeps its resale value up, make it last longer and helps avoid costly headaches in the future. A car that looks good inside and out leaves a good impression too, and helps you get the most money when you do decide to sell it, years down the road. Here are some few tips to keep your car looking new:
At your home
Wash your car frequently. Remove road grime and corrosion-causing acid rain deposits with frequent hand washes. Pay special attention to fresh tar or tree sap. Both will, over time, bake into the finish. For removing tar before you wash, apply a small amount of coconut oil with a cotton towel or soft, clean rag. Better yet, there are special solutions available for removing tar at your auto parts or hardware store. When washing, always remember to use proper car soap or shampoo and rinse from the top down.
Use high-quality towels to dry your car. Cheap, coarse towels especially those with exposed labels and nylon bindings around the edges will scour the surface and leave scratches. After clearing most of the water with a chamois, terry cloth towels with a high thread count (otherwise known as “microfiber”) are the best to use for drying after a good wash. Professional detailers recommend that you dry your car’s surface with an up-down or side-to-side motion, rather than with circular swirls.
Wax occasionally. At least twice a year, or more often for unusually harsh conditions (i.e. dusty places), give your car a good wax coat. It not only adds shine, but it supplements your car’s finish with added protection from sunlight, acid rain, small stone chips and bird droppings.
Check and fix damage or rust promptly. Chips or scrapes, no matter how minor, make your finish more susceptible to rust. Inspect your entire vehicle each quarter for new corrosion and fix it.
Organize your mess. Ultimately, the best way to prevent clutter inside a car is to minimize the stuff that’s brought in. Remove unneeded items such as stuffed animals, small trinkets and furry dice. Try to live with the barest of necessities inside, and don’t forget to clean out any trash that may have accumulated during a trip, even a short one. Try not to eat or drink inside the automobile, as the various odors of fast food burgers and coffee will stick to the fabric.
Vacuum regularly. Regular maintenance is the key to a clean interior. Make sure to vacuum the floor mats, carpeting and upholstery on a regular basis. If a dose of carpet shampoo is needed, take care of not leaving the carpet wet, since automobiles are backed by sheet metal underneath, which can rust if left damp. For small stains, use warm water and detergent first. If it doesn’t work, then use a specialized spray-on product.
Use the correct cleaners for each surface. Nowadays, cars come with all sorts of interior trims from carbon fiber to wood. In each case, make sure to use the correct cleaner/conditioner (i.e. leather cleaner/conditioner for leather, etc.). This prevents sensitive surfaces such as leather, vinyl and rubber from cracking, drying and other sorts of damage.
On the road
Keep a proper following distance. The most common cause of minor chips and scratches is because of loose stone or other hard material on the road surface. Larger vehicles such as trucks, buses, SUVs and vehicles with more exposed wheels have the tenacity to kick up these loose particles. Leave a wide berth as to lessen the chance of getting hit.
Choose your parking space carefully. Avoid parallel parking if possible, and use lots with angled spots or wide, straight-in spots. Park near cars that are a few years old and in perfect condition, or park near special-interest or classic cars. Watch out for newer cars that have a lot of dings and scratches and of course, what out for the beaters. Avoid parallel parking on an abruptly sloped street is at all possible. One other tip that may be of use: if you’re parking in a grocery store that has a slope, park at the highest point.
Park out of the sun. Prolonged exposure to the sun weakens the finish and invites scalloping, peeling and fading; and it makes the paint more vulnerable to scratching and chipping. Parking under the tree requires some extra precaution because of possible sap and bird droppings. Examine the vehicle just before departing, and if some tree sap does get onto the car, wash it immediately. Underground parking facilities are best, but keep an eye out for leaking water and sewage pipes.
While loading your vehicle, don’t rest items on the hood, roof or trunk. It may be a lot easier to scratch the vehicle’s surface than you think from setting things down. Before you think of signing a parking ticket or placing your tall latte on the hood or roof, remember that you can leave scrape marks. In addition, you risk driving with the items sliding of your car, leaving scratches and even spilled coffee or juice. If possible, set items elsewhere when loading.
In the end, it doesn’t matter how much you paid for your car or what type of car that you drive. It’s a long term companion—something that will take you through thick and thin, through good times and bad. It pays therefore, to keep it running and looking new and healthy for as long as possible.
By Ulysses Ang | Photos By Ulysses Ang
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