Most people are aware that any new car is a depreciating asset, but they sometimes forget when buying a shiny brand-new car that the process of its wear and tear also begins from the moment you drive it off the sales lot. Cars that are neglected will “age” much faster due to their increased wear and tear, so it’s important to take steps to avoid that fate.
What steps? Check out suggestions below to learn more.
- Regular Cleaning
The first step you need to take to protect your car from premature wear and tear is to ensure you have a full complement of professional car cleaning preparation products in your garage. From basic everyday cleaning gear like soft washing mitts, buckets with grit guards, proper car shampoos and wheel cleaning agents, not to mention leather conditioner and proper polish to clean the interior — you should plan to get everything.
Your cleaning set should also include things like car wax, which will help boost your car’s colour and provide you with limited protection from minor scratches and damage. For stronger protection, however, see point 6 further below. A regular weekly clean, coupled with a professional detailing perhaps 3 times a year will ensure that dirt, salt, grit and other contaminants have no chance to do any damage before they’re removed.
- Regular and Scheduled Maintenance
Your vehicle should have an owner’s manual, which if you open to the right section you should find the OEM-recommended maintenance. This will tell you how often you need to do things like oil and filter changes, tyre rotation, and more. The schedule is designed specifically to prevent needless wear and tear from occurring, so you should really stick to it.
Don’t allow yourself to fall into the trap of believing that by not carrying out certain maintenance “because my car seems fine” means that you save money. Ignoring routine tasks now means more expensive work needing to be done later.
- Cutting Out Bad Driving Habits
Quite a number of people are guilty of numerous bad driving habits that are actually detrimental to your car’s health. For example, resting your hand on the gear shift adds wear and tear to the transmission; dragging your brakes as you go downhill will put strain on the brakes; overloading the car with bags and other stuff forces the engine to work a lot harder.
Cut out these habits to avoid putting any added stress on your car’s mechanical performance. What’s more, avoid other bad habits like getting distracted by your smartphone, eating and drinking in the car while you’re on the road, and so on. Some behaviours cross the line from bad habits into illegal actions.
- Avoiding Bumps and Potholes
Next, to protect your wheel axles and suspension components, you’d better try your best to avoid speeding over bumps in the road or severe potholes in the ground. If you’re approaching an area of road works, for instance, and the road is awaiting resurfacing, slow your speed right down before reaching it.
- Keeping Out of the Sun
You might love the sun, but your car definitely does not. The exterior paint, the windows, interior upholstery, dashboard, electronics and more all hate being in direct sunlight. The sun’s UV radiation can do all manner of damage to your vehicle, such as paint and upholstery discoloration, drying and cracking the dashboard, not to mention heating the interior of your car to uncomfortable levels.
- Protective Measures
Finally, if you want to offer your paint the best-possible protection, then look into protective steps like ceramic coating and paint protection film (PPF). If you live or drive regularly in places that are dusty or dirty, then you will certainly benefit from the front half of your car having PPF, which helps protect against rock chip scratches.
