keeping my car from turning into a POS
June 12, 2017 11:28 AM Subscribe
All my life, I've driven crappy decade-old used cars. I never particularly cared about my cars' appearance. But last year I purchased a newer (2014) car, and I want to take care of it. Mechanically, no problems. But aesthetically? The thing seems to get a new scratch or ding every day.
I don't know if this is because of something I'm doing (or not doing), or if it's just normal and I've never noticed before because my old cars were so crappy. Maybe I'm just hyper-sensitive because I want to take care of the car. But there seem to be a lot of scratches and scrapes that weren't there when I bought it. And the interior seems to attract spills that stain, too. (Having an infant doesn't help with this, I guess.)
So my question is, is there anything I can do about this? Can I prevent these scratches in the first place? And is there something I can do about the scratches that are there now? What about cleaning the interior?
The car is, mechanically, in great shape. I get oil changes regularly, change filters and stuff like that, and it goes in for scheduled maintenance. I also take it through the car wash once or twice a month (bird poop!). I'd just like to keep it looking as nice as it runs, and as nice as it feels to me after so many years of bad driving experiences.
I don't know if this is because of something I'm doing (or not doing), or if it's just normal and I've never noticed before because my old cars were so crappy. Maybe I'm just hyper-sensitive because I want to take care of the car. But there seem to be a lot of scratches and scrapes that weren't there when I bought it. And the interior seems to attract spills that stain, too. (Having an infant doesn't help with this, I guess.)
So my question is, is there anything I can do about this? Can I prevent these scratches in the first place? And is there something I can do about the scratches that are there now? What about cleaning the interior?
The car is, mechanically, in great shape. I get oil changes regularly, change filters and stuff like that, and it goes in for scheduled maintenance. I also take it through the car wash once or twice a month (bird poop!). I'd just like to keep it looking as nice as it runs, and as nice as it feels to me after so many years of bad driving experiences.
The best thing you can do aside from making judicious parking choices (don't park under a tree, try to park indoors, don't park in very narrow streets) is to wax your car regularly on top of taking it to the car wash. Waxing not only protects the car from bad scratches, but it also protects the paint job in the long run and makes a world of a difference over time. You can wax your car after having it washed (don't wax if the car isn't clean!) and learn how to use touch-up paint on the car as well.
For the sake of maintaining a clean interior, I always have an extra towel or two in my trunk so that if I ever unexpectedly have to transport something I'm worried might scratch or dirty up the seats, I have something to cover up with. Laying down a towel that is similar to the color of your interior in places where the floor mat doesn't cover can also be a reasonable approach. Of course, avoiding eating and drinking in the car always helps, too, so changing those habits can keep your car clean.
posted by gemutlichkeit at 11:46 AM on June 12, 2017 [2 favorites]
For the sake of maintaining a clean interior, I always have an extra towel or two in my trunk so that if I ever unexpectedly have to transport something I'm worried might scratch or dirty up the seats, I have something to cover up with. Laying down a towel that is similar to the color of your interior in places where the floor mat doesn't cover can also be a reasonable approach. Of course, avoiding eating and drinking in the car always helps, too, so changing those habits can keep your car clean.
posted by gemutlichkeit at 11:46 AM on June 12, 2017 [2 favorites]
There are several after-market products you can add to your car to try to protect against little dings and things. I added some strips of this material to my car and it has helped a good amount - the strips catch all kinds of door dings and stuff like that. That website has several other products for sale that can help.
posted by Mid at 1:46 PM on June 12, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Mid at 1:46 PM on June 12, 2017 [1 favorite]
I am a huge fan of my Weathertech floor mats, which are a custom fit to each model of car they are offered for, and which contain all manner of floor mess. When they get icky, you just hose them off. Indispensable if you live anywhere with snow, slush, salt, or mud.
posted by telepanda at 8:31 PM on June 12, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by telepanda at 8:31 PM on June 12, 2017 [1 favorite]
You're already taking your car to the carwash regularly, so now think about a schedule for the interior. Make an appointment with yourself on a regular basis to vacuum, wipe surfaces, clean upholstery, and put something protective on the vinyl.
posted by CathyG at 1:46 PM on June 13, 2017
posted by CathyG at 1:46 PM on June 13, 2017
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Take care when you're parking--don't park too close to anybody if you can help it, think about how far a door has to swing out and what it might hit, don't pull up too far on a curb. Don't park under trees that might drip sap. Don't park next to a cart return. Don't jostle stuff in your hands or arms when you reach for the door handle or your trunk. Don't bump your bag up against the side when you're reaching in. If you're finagling something large in and out of the car, take a little extra time and don't let it drag across anything. Don't put your phone and coffee on the roof while you unlock the door.
Buy cheap seat covers for the inside and pitch them (or get nice ones and wash them) when they get messy. Put a dropcloth down in your trunk to be proactive against leaky groceries and large dirty items. Don't let anyone eat crumby things. Don't let anyone eat sticky things. Don't let anyone drink anything without a lid. Stomp your shoes out outside the car before dragging in mud/dirt/snow/sand. If you have a pet, spread out a towel. Don't put your fingers on the headliner, it'll leave grease spots that attract grime. Etc.
A lot of this is common sense, but really the easiest way to keep something looking nice is to keep it from getting shitty in the first place. My family has always kept our cars for forever (you may recall that I just recently upgraded from a 20 year old car I had had for half my life) and they generally stay looking pretty good, considering their age, because we're all anal retentive about not doing things to mess them up.
posted by phunniemee at 11:44 AM on June 12, 2017 [2 favorites]