Keeping your car looking good can mean a bit of extra work, but it’ll be worth it in the future if and when you try to sell the vehicle and find yourself getting more offers at and even above your asking price.
Just as the first bite of any meal is with the eye, so too is the first offer of any car deal based on what the eye sees.
While you’ve got your car, then, take the following steps to try and safeguard it from things that will rob the car of that showroom-quality look that attracted you to it in the first place.
Invest in Paint Protection
There are many options on the menu when it comes to painting protection for cars. A professional car paint overcoat is always a good option, be it a simple one or something more specialized such as ceramic or glass coating.
Such professionally applied coatings do cost more but can provide 5-7 years of protection in total, making them a worthwhile investment if you have reason to believe your car needs the protection.
Even if you pursue more conventional paint protection, you should be sure to get high-quality products such as good carnauba wax and effective spray-on sealants that will deliver terrific shine and protection against minor paint damage.
You’re more likely to have to deal with small damage such as swirl marks than something like a dent or deep scratch. Proper paint protection can help protect against these, but so too can the next item on our list.
Get a Professional Detailing 2-3 Times a Year
You might hand wash your car to remove the visible dirt from each week’s driving, but every 3-4 months, you should pay a little more and get your car professionally detailed. These are far more than just posh car washers.
Detailers clean and restore your car to something that resembles the vehicle that rolled off the showroom all those months or years ago.
Detailing will restore both interior and exterior, and includes options for paint protection and more to ensure your car has all dirt and contaminants — both visible and invisible — cleared away.
Maintain Good Cleaning Habits for the Interior
Make it a rule in your family that every time the car pulls up at home, everyone in the car should grab at least 2 pieces of trash on their way out.
The family car can easily become a dumping ground as people put food wrappings, empty drinks cans, and bottles into the car’s storage bins and pockets which sometimes don’t get removed.
Implementing this simple rule will ensure this isn’t allowed to happen.
Hand Wash Only
Next, you should really do your best to avoid the automatic car wash if you can, or at the very least only use it in an emergency.
The bristles on the car wash brushes and even the softer hanging cloths used at some car washes are nearly impossible to keep clean, meaning that your car is essentially taking a bath where dozens of other cars have come before it.
Even contactless washes can be bad because the chemicals they use are too harsh for your car’s paint.
The best solution is to make hand washing – and occasional professional detailing – the main method you use to keep the car clean. Yes, it takes more time, but when done right it will better protect your paint from all manner of damage.
Fix Minor Damage Quickly
Finally, be sure to fix any minor scratches, chips, dents, and other damage quickly. When you leave these things unattended, it’s easy for things to worsen. A scratch can get moisture embedded in it, which can quickly start to cause rust, for example.