At some point most car owners start to feel like their car is looking a bit old or run down. Some drivers take time to keep their car looking like it’s just rolled off the production line but for the majority of us we just don’t have the time to make sure every little detail is taken care of.

In this article you’ll hopefully discover a few neat little tips and tricks to help keep your car healthy and in pristine condition long after you’ve bought it:

Wash your car regularly, and carefully!

Many people will wait for a nice day to wash their car which could mean your car doesn’t get washed very often if you live here in the UK! Jokes aside, dirt that sticks to your car can do added damage, bird droppings are unpleasant but also acidic, meaning if left then they can corrode your paintwork. When washing your car it’s important to use warm soapy water and not a pressure washer as this will blast your paintwork with the dirt acting like a sandblaster.

Touch up any scratches with touch up products

In order to make sure your car looks good, any small scratches should be covered up quickly. With some cars such as silver or white ones these scratches are unnoticeable to the naked eye, black cars or other colours though can look pretty bad with a few paint chips running along the side of your car. There are a variety of inexpensive paint touch-up kits or products that almost cover up the scratch with the existing paint surrounding the scratch. If you’re looking to sell your car it’s advisable to cover these small marks as they’re the kind of damage buyers look out for.

Keep an eye on your tyres

Your tyres should always be filled to their recommended levels stated in the vehicle handbook or on the tyre’s side wall. If the car’s tyres are under or over inflated then it can affect the car’s fuel consumption as well as cause a puncture or blowout. Making sure you don’t rub your tyres sidewall against kerbs or other objects is important too as your tyres are most vulnerable where there isn’t any tread. You can also cause damage to your alloy wheels or wheel trims.

Keep an eye on your engine oil

As far as servicing goes, your car’s oil supply is a very easy one to keep on top of. By checking your car’s dipstick regularly you’ll know whether your car needs its oil topping up. When you open the oil filler cap if you see any brown or mayonnaise like residue then you’ll know that there are hidden problems such as a blown gasket. A lot of otherwise hidden problems like this can be detected when you’re keeping an eye on your car too.

A few little jobs here and there will keep your car looking good and running smoothly, plus the cost of maintaining your current car is much cheaper than having to buy a new one because you didn’t look after your original one!