Simple Ways To Maintain The Value of Your Car

Cars are one of the most expensive things that you will buy. But for many, they truly are a necessity. And as such, you want to buy one that won’t waste away your money or end up costing a lot of money either. The value of a car does depreciate over time, no more so than in the first year. But really, they don’t instantly lose their value overnight. As long as you are taking care of them and taking some steps to prolong the life of them, they can be worth a good amount should the time come when you want to trade it in or sell it on.

As the value of the car when you come to sell it does depend on how well you treat it, here are some of the best ways to maintain the value of your car and keep it worth what it is worth. There is no time like the present to implement these either; are there any others that you would add to the list?

Use a Garage

If you are someone that does have a garage at home, then using the garage to store the car can be one of the best ways to prolong the life of the car. When you park a car in the garage you are keeping it safe and protecting it from the elements. Wind can damage, cold temperatures can damage and lead to rust, as well as rain and hail; they can all be damaging. Keeping in the garage will also protect the car from things falling like twigs and branches, as well as things like stones or leaves that can damage your car when they build up. Not everyone is going to have a garage, so where possible use a cover for the car, especially in extreme weather conditions.

Regular Checks

If there are any mechanical problems with a car, they are going to increase over time. So that means that small things can become big problems over time if they are not dealt with when they are a small thing. And let’s face it, small issues with a car tend t cost less than when they have grown into a large thing. So it is much better to deal with those kinds of thing sooner rather than later, which is where some regular tune-ups with a mechanic are going to be a good idea.

It can also be worth thinking about seeing an auto body shop, much like www.vjautobody.com from time to time as well. Then you can deal with small marks, dents, or scrapes that happen as and when they appear. If you leave these kinds of thing too late when there may be more damage or rust, it can be more difficult and costly to repair, all the while taking the value of your car down.

Don’t Smoke in Car

If you are a smoker and want to sell your car on at a good price, it is going to be hard to do so if it smells of cigarettes or the interior has become discoloured as a result. The majority of the adult population do not smoke, so it does limit your buyers if the car is like a glorified ashtray. Simple solution if you are a smoker is to just not smoke in the car, even if the window is down.

Clean Stains

On a similar note to smoking in the car, it is a good idea to keep on top of the cleaning of the car as often as you can. If you have kids in the car, for instance, you could get stains on the upholstery; deal with these as soon as they happen with stain remover and so on. You want to keep the car looking as good as possible to maintain the value of the car as much as possible.

Oil Change

There are some things to maintain your car that won’t make too much of a difference to the value or life of the car. But one of the things that does really make a difference is getting an oil change on the car. They can be done pretty regularly, and are relatively inexpensive as well. Having an oil change for your car means the engine will run better, and it will be obvious to a buyer if the car hasn’t been looked after well or had an oil change.

Drive Steady

When it comes to driving and wanting to preserve the value of your car, then some sensible driving is going to be he way to do it. Lots of fast driving and heavy braking isn’t going to be good for the car and can lead to wear and tear and damage over time. You can damage the steering too if you are doing a lot of crazy turns and weaving in and out with your car on busy roads. Plus, over things like speed bumps you can put the alignment of the car out of whack if you drive over them too quickly. There is also another advantage of driving a car quite sensibly, and that is that it will make the car more fuel-efficient and cost you less in gas when you drive in a sensible way. There are more tips here if you want to learn to drive more fuel efficiently: www.nrcan.gc.com/energy/efficiency.

Keep Mileage Down

Cars that haven’t travelled as far are going to keep their value much more than cars that have racked up the mileage. More miles will mean lower value, especially if it comes to selling the car. Of course, you will need the car for what you need ir for. But if there are times to car pool or to take public transport or walk, then they can be good too. You don’t have to always use your car just because it is there. Try to preserve the mileage of the car as much as you can and it will make a difference.