If you were to ask most Americans what their second most expensive investment here in America is, they would quickly reply that it is their vehicle. It is the one thing that gets the kids to school, gets us to work, and brings us anywhere that we need to go. It makes sense then that you would spend more money, making sure that you get a vehicle that is mechanically sound and will stand the test of time. If this is to be your second biggest investment, then why are more Americans not taking better care of it?
We do take the time to wash and wax the exterior of our vehicles, but very few of us give real attention to the interior of the car. We do get our fair share of hot weather here in America, and the inside of your vehicle gets damaged by harmful UV rays. Your family members are equally susceptible to the ravages of the sun. It makes sense then to invest in a window car cover to protect the interior of your vehicle, including your dashboard, your carpets, and your seats.
This is just one way to protect your second most expensive investment, and the following are some others.
- Keep the exterior clean – The first part of your vehicle to suffer is the exterior, so it makes perfect sense that you would be out there when you have free time, washing your vehicle. If you don’t have time, you can always pull into a gas station and use the facilities there. The outside of your vehicle has to contend with not only UV rays, but dust, smoke, and everything else that we experience every day. One important thing is that when you wash your vehicle, you need to dry it off properly afterwards.
- Buy a quality wax – Not all waxes are the same, so do your due diligence, read the labels, and listen to people online. This is a pretty big job, and it will take up quite a bit of your time, but it’s only something that you have to do once or twice a year. Once again, if you don’t have the time, you can always turn to the professionals to wax your car for you. You might also want to consider some kind of ceramic coating to really give your vehicle the protection that it needs.
- Park in the shade – Don’t leave your vehicle sitting right in direct sunshine during the day, because it will damage the paintwork, which affects the value of your vehicle. Try to find the shade of a tall tree, figure out the direction the sun is going in, and park strategically, or just drive into a parking lot that is covered, and pay the fee.
Remember that the interior of your car gets really hot when it is in direct sunshine or on a particularly hot day. It only takes a moment to create a small crack to cool things down.
