Most personal finance experts would agree that keeping your vehicle for up to 10 years is a good financial decision. The economics of keeping a vehicle for that long is overwhelmingly compelling. So why is it so rare to find someone who has owned the same car for so long? After all, most cars today will still be running long after a couple hundred thousand miles. So why do people keep buying a new car when there is nothing wrong with the one they have? Group pressure? Maybe it seems outdated? This could be true, especially when the new edition undergoes major style changes. Maybe it’s because people are starting to worry about the likelihood of a major mechanical problem.
We have found that if you can keep it looking like new through a proven strategy, it will make a new car purchase that much more difficult. So what can be done to slow down the aging process? How can you use a car on a regular basis and not get old? There is no particular activity, but several things that contribute to a common goal. The following is a list of ways to keep your car looking like new.
1. By far the number one way to keep your vehicle looking like new is to KEEP IT IN THE GARAGE OVERNIGHT. Most people think the damage is the result of grueling midday heat and dust baking dirt into paint and plastic, however the most destructive time is at night when cold moisture condenses on the car surface. This is the source of the problem. We live in a basin here in Los Angeles that is packed with cars that move all day. Exhaust fumes, pollution and road grime rise into the atmosphere on hot days and stay suspended there until cool sea air blows in and captures the pollution in moisture that will condense on the car. That morning dew sitting on the horizontal surfaces of the vehicle is a toxic sulfur/acid cocktail of all the garbage in our air. It eats away at the paint, the trim around the doors, yellows the headlights and destroys the rubber parts. No test lab can recreate that! Humidity isn’t terribly bad, but if this process is done every night for 5-8 years, it will take its toll on the outside.
2. Keep the vehicle under an overhang overnight. The next best thing to a garage would be to prevent the vehicle from getting dewy at night. Reread the reason in the previous paragraph. The next best long-term protection is the overhang. (Car covers are useful when your vehicle will be sitting at the airport for 2 weeks or on your driveway for a week. As a daily defense, it’s a good idea, but over time it’s a nuisance and too dirty to put on. Car. )
3. Regular waxing. Regular waxing is every 3 to 4 months or every 5,000 miles. So when your vehicle has 20,000 miles it should have 4 coats of wax. Waxing gives the car a micro-thin layer of protection against the elements. As the vehicle ages, attention to the exterior must increase. From time to time, the paint needs to be polished to restore the clarity of the surface. Buffing the paint every year and a half or every 15,000 miles will increase the life of the wax and keep the paint in top condition.
4. Regular exterior washes will keep the vehicle free of dust and contaminants. The longer dirt and dust sits on the paint, the more likely it is to start to stick to the surface.
5. 3M Paint Protection Film is the best way to keep your paint chip-free. By applying this film to the bumper and hood, you will protect the vehicle’s original paint from damage. This film is removable and has no long-term effect on the paint. Possibly this film could be removed in 10 years after installation, and the paint would look like the day it came off the assembly line. Truly the best long term solution for the daily driver.
6. Window tints. Protect the interior from fading and drying with a lifetime warranty film. During the day, vehicle interiors are vulnerable to the damaging effects of the sun’s UV rays. Window tinting blocks 100% of UV rays. It also reduces internal heat and reduces glare. With regular interior detailing and window tint, your interior will look like the day it was installed. In addition, window tinting improves passenger and driver comfort.
7. Semi-annual engine cleaning will ensure proper visibility of fluid levels. It can improve preventive maintenance inspection and keeps the engine running cooler. Also, mechanics respect a clean engine and are more likely to clean it themselves.
8. Periodic removal of small dents and teeth from the door. The cost of keeping your doors ding free is actually reasonable and the paintless dent removal process is non-invasive. It’s impossible to prevent a daily driver from having a door slam, but the good news is that you can send a message and restore it to its original position. No painting or bondo is necessary and the vehicle maintains its original factory paint.
9. Deep cleaning detail. Every 1.5 to 2 years the vehicle should get a complete detail. Most people will wait until the vehicle is bad enough that something needs to be done. For a potted plant, that’s the same as waiting until the leaves turn brown before watering it.
10. Achieving a like-new vehicle after 10 years will require preventative or preventative care. Detailed appointments scheduled over a 1 year period will help keep the vehicle running. The paint job can’t remind you that it needs waxing. So don’t wait until you notice the car is a bit run down before you act. Finally, the mechanical part of the vehicle is just as important. We strongly recommend adherence to all mechanical maintenance schedules.