How to Make Your Car Look Brand New

Photo by Tyler Cremmensen on Pixabay.

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Many people replace their vehicles every few years. They get bored of their current cars and decide to upgrade to a newer, more advanced model.

While there’s nothing wrong with upgrading your vehicle, it’s unnecessary most of the time. By performing some basic maintenance and repair tasks, you can make your current car look and feel brand-new.

Of course, not everybody is going to have the time or patience to keep their car in tip-top shape. But it’s worth trying to keep your current car for as long as possible. This could save you a lot of money in the long run.

If your car is starting to look a bit worse for wear but you’re not in a position to buy a brand-new model, here are some easy and affordable ways to make your current car look as good as new.

Prime the Paintwork

Over time, your car’s paintwork can start to fade. Exposure to the elements can cause the paint to fade and scratches or dents can cause it to chip.

Taking the time to touch up the paintwork can immediately make your car look as good as it did when you first drove it home from the dealership.

Use car trim spray paint and primers to lay the foundation for your vehicle’s paintwork. Make sure you get the right type of primer for your car to ensure the new layer of paint looks perfect once it has been applied.

Here are some of the most common types of car primers that you might need to use:

Urethane primer – this is ideal when you’re touching up smaller parts of your car’s paintwork. It’s commonly applied over an epoxy of self-etching primer.

Epoxy primer – this can be applied directly to the metal body of your car and is great for paint stripping or over-body fillers.

Self-etching primer – this works in a similar way to an epoxy primer and is ideal for building up layers on the metal body of your vehicle.

Avoid applying paint directly to the metal of your car. You should always use a primer first. The primer acts as a boarding agent to avoid damaging your vehicle and to ensure the paint applies as smoothly as possible.

Give Your Car a Good Clean

Nothing beats a simple clean when it comes to keeping your car looking good. All you need is a bucket of warm water, a sponge, and a bottle of high-quality car soap, and you’re good to go!

Even if you despise cleaning, you should aim to clean your car once a month. During extreme weather conditions, you might need to clean your vehicle more often as dust and dirt can easily build up after a downpour.

Deep cleaning your car every 3-6 months is also important. You can do this by using car shampoo and scrubbing your seats to remove any stains or spills.

It’s easy to let your trash, such as old receipts or empty takeaway boxes, accumulate in your car. But if you get into the habit of removing any trash from your car every time you get out of your vehicle, you can stay on top of the cleaning. 

Replace Your Floor Mats

This is a simple task but replacing your car’s floor mats can make a huge difference to its overall appearance. Your car mats can easily get dusty and dirty over time.

A brand-new set of mats doesn’t cost very much to purchase and it takes a few minutes to exchange them for your existing mats. If you regularly get your shoes muddy, you might be better getting some rubber floor mats instead of material-based mats. Rubber options will be much easier to clean and won’t need replacing as often.

Replace the Windscreen Wipers

Extreme weather conditions can damage your windscreen wipers, leaving them dirty, bent, or broken. Unfortunately, they’re usually one of the most forgotten car parts.

If the weather has been particularly bad recently, take a look at your windscreen wipers. If they’re dusty, grab a soft microfiber cloth and wipe the blades down. For any bends or breaks, it’s probably best to completely replace the blades.

Brand-new windscreen wipers cost next to nothing and it’s an easy job replacing them. Even the most amateur car owners will be able to change them without any help!

Even if there are no breaks in your existing blades, replace them at least once every six months to ensure they continue to work optimally.

*This article is based on personal suggestions and/or experiences and is for informational purposes only. This should not be used as professional advice. Please consult a professional where applicable.