Maintaining the Exterior of Your Car
Many assets appreciate in value with time. Unfortunately, a car isn’t one of them.
A new vehicle loses as much as 20 percent of its resale value as soon as you drive it off the car lot. With each passing year, the vehicle will continue to lose some of its trade value.
There’s not much you can do about this. However, you can slow the depreciation in your vehicle’s value simply by caring for it properly and maintaining its appearance.
Clean your car regularly
Keeping the exterior of your car clean doesn’t just make a good impression. It can also protect the paint job, preventing grime, bird droppings, pollen, tree sap, and other dirt and debris from tarnishing the paint.
If you live near the coast, it’s especially important to clean your car regularly. This is to remove salt deposits, which can cause rust if neglected.
Ideally, wax your car once a month to protect the exterior and give the body a beautiful shine.
Get your car professionally detailed
It’s a good idea to have your car professionally detailed a few times a year – or more frequently if you drive a lot, travel in extreme conditions or store your car outside.
Having a professional clean, restore and finish your vehicle is a good first line of defence for protecting its exterior condition.
Protect your car against the elements
In the harsh South African climate, it’s important to protect your vehicle against the elements. Ideally, always store your cover under cover. As well as protecting it from sun or other weather damage, this will prevent bird dropping, sap, pollen, and other contaminants from damaging the surface.
If you don’t have the luxury of indoor or undercover parking for your vehicle, invest in a cover to protect your car when it is not in use.
Also, when you park your car outdoors, aim to find a spot in the shade. This helps prevent sun exposure from causing fading in the paint, trim and mouldings.
Address repairs promptly
Far too often, small problems that are left unattended lead to bigger issues down the line. Instead address any repairs as soon as possible. This means repairing dings and dents, and repainting scratches to prevent rust.
Also, if the body of the car is damaged, it’s generally wiser to use a reputable body shop than to risk doing a sub-par repair job yourself.
With Pawn My Car, you can use a car that’s in your name to secure a loan quickly and easily, with no delays. For more information, contact us on 0861 112 866 or simply complete and submit our online application form.
