04-04-22

Tips and Tricks to Protect the Value of your Vehicle by Keeping it Clean

A vehicle is a big investment. One of the biggest investments most people make in their lifetime. And no car, truck, minivan, or sport utility vehicle holds its value. They start depreciating the moment you drive them off the dealership lot. However, this is not to say that a vehicle does not have some value. Even an old, well used car has some value attached to it and can be sold or traded in for some money. The key is to maintain as much of the vehicle’s value as possible while you own it. Following are just a few tips to keep your investment in optimal shape:

Clean headlights and make them shine

Having cloudy headlights can detract from the look of your vehicle and makes your car look old. To shine your headlight covers fast, use non-gel toothpaste. The toothpaste is an abrasive that is gentle and can help remove the build-up on the headlight cover. Use a microfiber cloth to rub the toothpaste on. The best toothpaste to use will have baking soda in it or those that have whitening action.

Wax your car with hair conditioner

To give your car a shiny, just-waxed look, look for the hair care products you have in your bathroom. After washing your car normally, add shine with hair conditioner (the best products are those with lanolin). To create a good mixture, take half a cup of hair conditioner and 2 cups of water and spread onto your vehicle. Then rinse and your car will look brand-new!

Use dryer sheets to remove bugs and tar

Bug splatters can harm your paint job, so you want to remove them promptly. If they are proving hard to remove, use dryer sheets. Spray the affected area with water then simply scrub the area with the dryer sheet. Keep a few dryer sheets in your car. Not only will they help keep the car smelling fresh, but you’ll have them on hand for quick bug removals while on the road.

Use baby wipes to keep your interiors clean

Baby wipes are a great, gentle way to keep your car clean. You can use them to scrub down the steering wheel, dashboard, and other surfaces. They can be kept in the glove compartment to always have them handy and are a great way to wipe grime and stains. They’re gentle enough for babies, so they should work perfectly on your car.

Don’t smoke in your car

Cigarette smoke can cause interior surfaces to dull and turn yellowish-brown. Since only 22% of the adult population smokes cigarettes, you can be certain that the cigarette smell in your car will be offensive to at least the 78% of the population that doesn’t smoke. That will cut the potential market for your car substantially – as well as the value.

Park your car in a garage or carport

A car that’s parked in a garage is protected from the elements. That means cold, heat, bright sunshine, wind, hail, driving rain, and snowstorms. It’s even protected from branches and other debris that may fall out of nearby trees. If you have a garage, be sure to use it to store your car – not for other purposes.

All of us know that we should keep the exterior and interior of our car clean. In time, a persistently dirty interior or exterior can lead to body corrosion, faded carpets, seats and permanent stains. These can impact the vehicle’s performance and make the car look like an eye sore and put off potential buyers at resale time.

When you are ready to trade-in or you plan to sell your car, consider letting the sales team at Charlie Clark Nissan in Brownsville, TX help you with your transaction. We offer an online instant offer for your vehicle, which you can then redeem at the dealership. We can then help get you behind the wheel of another, exceptionally clean and shiny vehicle! Our sales team is standing by! Call (956) 303-1802 today!

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