5 Tips to Enjoy Your Car More Than Ever

Depending on how much you drive, your car may seem like a second home. If you have a long commute to and from work or school, get into the line at school pickup an hour early just to be on time and beat the other parents, travel for work, or road trip for fun, your vehicle is a place in which you probably spend a lot of time. Make it the best it can be by following these realistic and practical tips to enjoy your car more, starting right now.

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1. Follow the Manufacturer’s Maintenance Schedule

You have likely heard of the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance schedule for your specific vehicle. From the specs you perused before purchasing it or the technician at your local car care center, everyone discusses the importance of taking care of your vehicle on this schedule.

You can equate the recommended maintenance schedule to your own personal healthcare. Just as you see your healthcare providers at predetermined intervals throughout the year, your car should receive maintenance for auto repair services on schedule.

Following these important guidelines for everything from routine oil changes to tire rotations, brake pad replacement, and topping off the car’s fluids is essential to ensure your vehicle continues to run smoothly. Consider these appointments as preventative maintenance that may avert small problems from becoming costly repairs when caught and remedied early. After all, a well-maintained car is a safer one that will give you considerable peace of mind – and will be much more enjoyable to drive.

2. Keep it Clean, Inside and Out

A clean car is important for many reasons, the foremost being that eliminating dust and grime from your car’s interior and exterior will reduce buildup, dust, and debris from entering the internal components, both inside and outside, which could cause problems with the car’s primary functions.

Next, a clean car looks better than a dirty one. While it can be difficult to keep the exterior of your car spic and span in rainy and wintry weather, do your best to run it through a car wash weekly to reduce salt and other chemicals that may corrode the exterior components. As for the interior, a dusty car looks unkempt, and fingerprints on the screen and windows happen, but they do not look great. A weekly wipedown will help keep everything looking its best and lessen cleaning time overall. Make it a rule to avoid leaving trash, especially food containers and wrappers, in your car. This will reduce clutter, unpleasant odors, and help prevent unwanted bug infestations.

Treat yourself to a professional detailing service annually. While it may seem like an indulgence, the car cleaning experts have the tools and know-how to reach all the nooks and crevices you cannot easily access to help keep your car clean and looking great.

Watch this video to learn practical ways to keep your car clean.

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3. Organize for Safety

Organizing your car might seem like an exercise in futility. Cars are not known for their expansive storage options, after all. That being said, if you spend some time assessing what you have in your vehicle and considering what you should carry in there, you will begin to see ways to collect and store what you need without creating clutter. 

Start by looking at your glove box. Only keep items in this space that require quick and easy access, such as your car’s registration and insurance information, a non-perishable protein bar, a notepad and pen, etc. Next, look at your center console and door storage. You should store a seatbelt cutter and window breaker in one of these places. Add a flashlight, hand sanitizer, and other items you can safely use in your car. Try to reduce anything that might become a dangerous projectile in an accident. Instead, store it inside the trunk or console.

The trunk may take a bit longer to organize, as this is where you should store your car’s emergency kit, a spare tire, and all the requisite tools to change it, work gloves, extra winter gear, an emergency shovel, and the list goes on. Keep your reusable shopping bags in the trunk and anything else you want to carry with you, but only access as needed. Stash these items neatly in the spare tire well or in a convenient bag or collapsible storage container within the trunk that you can move around as needed.

4. Install a Smartphone Mount

If you do not have a smartphone mount in your car, now is the perfect time to get one. They allow you to use your phone hands-free and see the navigation information at a glance (as long as you install it near the existing navigation screen, for comparison). Your phone is always with you, and you likely use it for a variety of things anyway, so it is best to play it safe by keeping your phone usage safe.

Always follow the local laws, of course, when using your phone while in your vehicle. Never use it to text or look up anything while driving. Pull over instead, find your information, and then resume your travels. 

5. Tint the Windows

Tinted windows are helpful to secure the privacy of you and your passengers and help reduce the effects of the sun.Providing shade from the midday rays will help keep the vehicle and occupants cooler and lessen the chances of the sun’s powerful beams damaging or fading the interior.

While there are several DIY car window tinting kits on the market, you will have a better experience when you go with a professional installation. Always consult your local laws and codes regarding the level of window tint that is legally allowed in your area. Once you have the window tint in place, ask your installation expert about cleaning advice to avoid damaging the tint.

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By following these five tips, you can spend more time enjoying your car and less time worrying about it. Make your ride something you feel good driving, and extend its life by taking good care of it.