Holding on to an aging vehicle makes great sense financially, but as it starts to look older, you may want to give it an overhaul. Because much of the aging occurs over time, you might not even notice that restoration needs to be done. You can try these basic restoration tips by doing the work yourself or finding affordable experts who can help to make your car look great again.
Exterior Body Touch-Up
While you notice and likely fix major damage to the car’s exterior, you might have missed some smaller dings and scratches. Minor nicks can often be buffed out and repainted at an auto body repair shop to give your car a sleek new finish. They can also polish the exterior chrome and clean the headlights to make the car look shiny and new again. Fresh paint touch-ups will add shine while hiding your vehicle’s age.
Interior Deep Clean
Prepare to deep clean the inside of your car. If it has been a while since your last cleaning, you will probably find plenty of dirt and maybe a few long-lost belongings as well. Adjust the front seats forward and backward to vacuum out every crumb and particle of debris in reach.
If you know how, you can remove the seats for an easier time of cleaning the floors and the door panels. You may want to add a small trash bag for future litter and an odor remover to eliminate any damp or musty smells.
Repair or Scrub the Upholstery
The seats’ upholstery fabric may be stained with grease, food, or everyday spills and leaks. Use a special cleaning product designed for this purpose with an attachment to scrape loose any stuck-on residue. If they are really beaten up, you might want to invest in new seat covers or repair rips and tears in the fabric.
Model Brand Floor Mats
If your floor mats are old or damaged, they might not be doing their job as effectively as they should. While you can find generic floor mats that fit well enough, it’s best to look for your vehicle’s make and model floor mats specifically. They will fit better than the generic brand and protect your floors better. The model styles are often more attractive as well and are designed to last.
Polish the Dashboard
After wiping clean the dashboard, polish any chrome dials or knobs and remove grit or old stains. Consider buying a steering wheel cover to keep it clean and germ-free The cover can be washed when it gets dirty.
Replace the Hubcaps
Even if your car doesn’t need new tires yet, you might want to get some new wheel covers or hubcaps. They look sharp and bring your car’s overall look up to date.
It doesn’t take much to restore your car to its former glory. Stock up on supplies and cleaning tools or let the pros do the work for you. Make sure that once it’s restored, you keep up on regular cleaning and maintenance to keep your car looking it’s best.
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