Keeping Your Car Immaculate by Maintaining Your Car's Exterior

Taking proper care of your car's body is very important, because the resale value depends a great deal on it. Making repairs to a neglected body is much more challenging than repairing the mechanical components on your car. Those areas that are hard to find, such as the wheel wells, the frame and the engine compartment, are just as important, even though they don't require as much attention as other parts of the body.

It is a good idea to steam clean the underside of your car, and the engine at least once a year. Once you remove all the dirt and oil you can easily inspect for rust, broken brake lines, faulty electrical wires, broken cables are other problems. You will want to grease the front suspension components after doing this job. A water-soluble de-greaser can also be used when cleaning the engine. Be careful not to get too much water in the alternator.

Pay extra close attention to the wheel wells. The undercoating can peel away and the stones and dirt thrown up by the tires can cause the paint to chip or flake, allowing rust to set in. If you notice any rust spots, you will need to clean them off down to the bare metal and apply a rust preventative paint. You should wash the body of your car about once a week.

Wet down the vehicle thoroughly to loosen up the dirt, then wash it thoroughly with a soft sponge and plenty of soapy water. If you are not careful about how you wash the surface dirt off you may wear the paint down prematurely. Asphalt and tar spots thrown up from the road should be removed with a soft cloth soaked in solvent.

At least every six months, wax the body and trim. If you are using any type of chrome cleaner to remove rust from the chrome use it sparingly. The reason I say this is because the cleaner removes part of the chrome is well. Also, there is no need to use detergents, heavy-duty soap or petroleum-based cleaners on the vinyl trim. Plain old soap and water will work just fine. Use a soft brush to remove the tough dirt. Make sure to clean the vinyl as often as you clean the rest of your vehicle. A good cote of a quality rubber and vinyl protectant will keep your vinyl looking new for a long time. It is also a good idea to apply the protectant to weather stripping, vacuum hoses, any other rubber hoses such as the radiator hoses, and the tires to prevent dry rotting. Taking proper care of your vehicle will not only make it look better, but prevent many problems from occurring.