So, you’ve just got yourself your first car. Needless to say, you’ll want to look after it to make sure it stays in the best condition for as long as possible.
Our top tips? To put it simply: Keep your car clean. Keep it protected. Make sure your car’s engine is well-maintained. And, be sure to get car insurance in case – god forbid – you happen to have a bingle on the road.
Stay with us as we take you through the ways you can look after your new car at home in more detail.
1. Keep Your Car Clean
When it comes to keeping your brand-new wheels in good nick, making sure your vehicle stays clean is a must. Of course, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that it’s so much more cost-effective to scrub and vacuum your car yourself than to have it professionally detailed.
The choice is yours – you could, for instance, save yourself some serious cash by going old-school with a garden hose and a bucket of soapy water in your driveway at home. Or, you could pay a visit to your local car wash – most times, all it will cost you is some loose change. Yes, depending on how much your car wash charges for self-service washes, a couple of gold coins are often more than enough to have your car sparkling like new.
Feeling fancy, or perhaps, a little too lazy to clean your automobile yourself? If that’s the case, you might prefer to drive your vehicle through the automatic car wash. This will usually set you back, on average, between about $15 to $30 – which is still a saving when compared to professional detailing, which can sometimes cost anywhere up to $150 to $200, or even beyond if you go the whole hog with a detailing package that has all the bells and whistles included.
2. Keep Your Car Protected
Keeping your car protected from the elements is the best way to defend it from problems like rust and mould. Storing it under a carport is great, but if you or your parents have a space with garage door thermal insulation, that’s even better.
The best part? By sheltering your car inside a garage or under a carport, you can also keep it cleaner for longer. Think about it – if you’re parking under a tree on the street outside your home, your car is going to get covered with all sorts of debris such as leaves, branches, and worse: bird excrement. No, birds won’t care that they’re defacing your car bonnet – they’re going to do their business wherever and whenever they please. But if your vehicle is safely under cover, this won’t happen – which also has serious advantages for the lifetime of your car’s paint job.
3. Keep Your Motor Well Maintained
Yes, keeping your car clean is essential. But, maintaining the inner workings of your car’s motor is just as important. You don’t want to break down on the freeway and have to wait on the side of the road for roadside assistance to bail you out if you can help it.
And, you can help it. By keeping up with regular car services, you can make sure your vehicle’s engine is in tip-top shape – keeping you safer on the road.
4. Keep Your Vehicle Insured
Another must when it comes to looking after your vehicle? Getting car insurance. Why? If you’re insured and have a bingle on the road, you won’t have to fork out as much to get your car fixed.
In Australia, there are two main types of car insurance:
Comprehensive Car Insurance
If you have an accident and damage someone else’s car, comprehensive insurance will usually cover you to fix their property, as well as yours.
Third-Party Car Insurance
Third-party insurance, on the other hand, only covers you for damage you do to other people’s property. For this reason, it’s often a cheaper option than comprehensive insurance.
5. Keep Your Car’s Interior Intact
Lastly, if you want to keep your car’s interior and flooring as pristine as you can, consider purchasing some protective products and floor mats to pop under your feet. These will not only protect your car’s floor from mud and dirt but will also stop the carpet beneath your feet from fraying.
Of course, it’s important to look after your car, and these tips will help you do just that. A new vehicle is a lot of responsibility, so be proud of yourself, enjoy it, and most of all – stay safe on the roads!
Darren is an expert on driving and transport, and is a member of the Institute of Advanced Motorists
