10 Ways To Keep Your Car Looking and Feeling Young
The average American spends 9 hours per week in the car. Once you begin to add up the long work commutes or the rush-hour rides home, that number doesn’t seem so crazy anymore. Since we spend so much time in our cars, making sure that your car remains in great shape allows you to avoid investing in a new one before the time has come.
Take Care of Your Tires
Amazon – Car Tires
Make sure to check tire pressure at least once a month to ensure that your tires will have a long life – checking tire pressure is extremely important to avoid unnecessary tire wear. Damaged rims can also largely affect the overall alignment of your car, and are a key component to keeping your car looking good for longer. Keeping your car in the right alignment is crucial to guaranteeing your car’s ability to run smoothly and safely. Additionally, checking up on your tires can save you money in the long run, as you won’t have to spend needlessly on tires earlier than required. Replacing tires every six years is recommended, so make sure to invest in good quality tires to guarantee that you won’t have to change them prematurely.
Filter out the Negative
Amazon – Automotive Air Filters
Grubby and congested air filters lead to less efficient fuel use, possible engine backfire or, in the worst cases, cause the engine to shut down completely. No one wants to get stuck in the middle of a busy road due to something as mundane as clean air filters. Most car owners neglect their air filters and forget the importance of having them replaced regularly. Filters should be replaced every year as a minimum, and are one of the many incredibly affordable ways to keep your car running for longer. You can purchase a new filter for $10 from an automotive store – you won’t even need to take your car to the dealership! Filters are crucial to ensure that the engine is able to run smoothly.
Crack Down
Amazon – Replacement Windshield Wipers
You definitely don’t want to be driving around with a broken windshield wiper because that can lead to the dreaded windshield crack, which can cost you hundreds of dollars in repair if ignored. Windshield wipers are a tremendously important component to keeping you safe in unwelcoming weather. Replacing your windshield wipers is usually inexpensive, especially when compared to the time and money that you could be wasting replacing a broken windshield. Head to a home store and invest in brand new windshield wipers. You can change your windshield wipers yourself in just a few minutes!
Find the Right Engine Oil for Your Car
Amazon – Oils and Fluids
Engine oil is not a “one size fits all” kind of thing. Most people don’t bother to actually look for and buy the right engine oil for their car, which leads to costly breakdowns and repairs. Skim through your owner’s manual, and consider only buying the engine oil that is suggested in it. There are many great brands of affordable engine oil on the market, and sometimes your owner’s manual will even direct you towards a specific brand. Some of the most popular ones are Mobil 1 Motor Oil and Valvoline Motor Oil. Using the right engine oil will become a habit that you won’t regret picking up, and as a consequence of it your engine will treat you to years of smooth driving.
Cover Up
Amazon – Car Covers
There is nothing worse than getting your new car seats dirty and relentlessly trying to clean them with no avail. The best thing to do to avoid having to deal with cleaning dirty car seats is considering buying some good quality seat covers to cut down on the wear of the seats. There are some great looking car seat covers on the market that won’t take away from the overall look of the interior of your car. Car seat covers are also a great way to change up your interior without modifying the seats. This is something that car owners should seriously consider doing, especially if their seats are made of fabric. Using car seat covers will keep the interior of your car looking inviting, making it more accommodating to you and preserving some of the resell value.
Shelter It
Amazon – Carports
Harsh temperature changes are extremely destructive to the overall health of your car. Try to park your car indoors as much as possible especially on sunny or unusually cold days. This spares the engine extreme temperature changes and ensures that your seats don’t crack, especially if they are leather. Your car will also be less susceptible to break-ins and high- jackings, which is enough of a reason why you should always try to keep your car in a safe place when you are not using it.
Don’t Neglect the Battery
Amazon – Car Batteries
We all need a vacation sometimes, but don’t forget about your car’s battery while you’re gone. You should drive your car at least once a week to make sure its battery stays fresh, but if you are unable to, a trickle charger will take care of it once you’re back. You should consider investing in a trickle charger to always have your car charged up. However mistakes do happen, and many people can recall a time when they have left their car lights on overnight only to find out that their car is out of service in the morning. A trickle charger is necessary to avoid such problems, once again saving you time and money in the long run. Be careful not to jump start the car too often though, as it puts unnecessary strain on the battery.
Smell Fresh
Amazon – Automotive Air Fresheners
There’s nothing better than the feeling of entering your car in the morning and being able to smell your favorite scent. Aerosol-style fresheners are really helpful if you have had a recent drive through trip and can’t get the smell out of your car. Try to spray the fresheners into the car, but be careful not to spray directly on the seats, especially if you haven’t purchased a seat cover yet. There are some great air fresheners made specifically for cars on the market, some of which are Meguiars Air Re-fresher and Armor All Car Air Freshener. In addition to that, or if you would rather use something that requires less work, you can just hang up a hanging air freshener – make sure to keep it near a place where there is a lot of air flow so the smell can spread throughout.
Find the Spark
Amazon – Performance Spark Plugs
Always service spark plugs and cables by cleaning off debris and making sure that all of the connections are tightly allocated – you might need to replace them over time as they can cause problems to your electrical system. Replacing them won’t be an issue however, as they are one of the things that you can purchase easily and affordably to keep your car young. Spark plugs and cables contribute to keeping your engine working for longer, radically increasing your car’s life span. Cleaning or replacing spark plugs and cables will make the fuel consumption more efficient, which means you can save time and money on trips to the gas station in the process!
Check Up on the Fluids
Amazon – Oils and Fluids
Engine oil isn’t the only thing you should be keeping track of; engine coolant, brake fluid and power steering fluid are just as important to the overall health of your car. Engine coolant in particular is one of the most crucial components to keeping your car’s engine running for years to come. Checking your engine coolant is easy, and you can purchase it online or in store for less than $15. To ensure that your car is performing at its best you should check your fluids monthly, and making sure that they are not at dangerously low levels will make your trips safer. This is another simple way to make sure your car will run at its best forever.
