Keeping your Car in Mint Condition
by: Tom Tessin

Everyone loves new things and when it comes to your vehicle, you want it to have that unique new car smell for as long as possible.  Even if you don’t buy a new car, you always want that automobile to look as nice as possible all the time.  We’ve compiled a list on how you can keep you car in mint condition for its life on the road.

Be gentle with new cars

If you’re purchasing a new car, make sure that you don’t drive like a mad man when you first get it.  Since the car has low miles on it, it’s not used to running all of the parts properly.  If your dealer didn’t tell you this already, you should drive as careful as possible until you hit the one thousand mile mark.  Once you hit this mark, the car should be good to go.

Be gentle and stick to it

As stupid as this may sound, you must treat your car like it’s your child.  A lot of people don’t remember to this and drive like idiots on the road.  From driving fast to whipping in and out of lanes, this can do some damage during the long run.  Pretend you’re the car for a day and treat it well.  If you treat it well, it will treat you nicely back.  This works almost all the time.

Use the shade

Believe it or not, when you park your car, it’s important that you park it under a tree, garage or some item that will block it from the sun.  If your vehicle stays in the sun for too long, it can cause some interior damage which can lead to faded seats, dashboards, and other items.  The next time you park your car, make sure that it’s not directly in the sun.

Car washes are your friend

Try and get into the routine of washing your car every week.  Dirt and dust can collect quite easily when you’re travelling.  Just imagine what’s on the road every time you drive.  If you fail to give your car a car wash every week, the dirt can start to mold itself onto the car making it harder for it to come off.  If you live in a state where the snow is bad and you get a lot of salt on the road, make sure you wash it more often because salt can cause your car to rust very quickly.

Remember the oil change!

Oil changes are your car’s best friend.  Without them, you car’s engine is going to fail and cause a deep hole in your wallet.  Make sure that you get an oil change every four to five thousand miles.  If you go to a credible oil change station, they will usually notice any problems with anything under the hood.  If they recommend that you need to change something, make sure that you research it before you buy on the spot.

Keeping your car clean and like new isn’t a hard job at all, it just requires that you maintain it properly every day you drive it.  If you treat your car as if it were you, the car will last longer than you think.  Remember that when a car usually fails, its most likely because of the owner’s driving habits.