Aug 17, 2015
Most new car buyers are unaware of these common mistakes made that can cause damage to the vehicle. Whether the adrenaline of being behind the wheel of a brand new vehicle has gotten to you and you’re hitting the gas petal a little too hard or you’re trying to get a better price on your regular maintenance checks by bringing it to an unqualified technician, you’re car is suffering. It may seem like a good idea now but it’s going to create problems in the long-run. Here are a few ways to avoid damaging your new car –
- Keep it clean. It’s new, it’s shiny so why worry about bringing it to the car wash? Well like our previous blog post has mentioned, dirt, bird droppings, gasoline, tree sap, etc. can eat away at your car’s paint if left on the car. By getting your car washed regularly, you will be able to get most of these elements off easily without any paint damage. Not only should you be keeping the body clean but it is important to take a wet rag and wipe down the engine bay from time to time. It’ll pay off when you try selling the vehicle, the buyer will want to pay top dollar as soon as they see the clean engine bay.
- Be gentle. You may be tempted to see how the new car runs which may cause you to be aggressive with the gas and the brake. Fact is, the first couple thousand miles of a car should be taken carefully without redlining and slamming on the brakes. This is going to cause your car’s performance to decrease more so than someone who treats it well. Also, don’t assume that because the car is brand new, you can wait a little longer for your first oil change. The first oil change is the most important and needs to be taken care of on time.
- Keep track. Make sure you’re taking any paperwork you receive from service appointments and put them away in a folder for future reference. When it comes time to sell the car, the buyer is going to want to know everything about it’s current condition. This paperwork will allow them to trust your car is still in good quality and may even result in getting more money for the car.
- Research your technician. If you’re paying higher monthly payments or your insurance increased with a new car, you may try saving money by getting routine maintenance done by someone who is offering cheaper prices. Where ever you schedule these appointments, make sure you’re researching the technician first to make sure they’re qualified and that they do quality work. Bringing it to someone who isn’t qualified will only cause you’re car more expensive problems because they’re using the guess and check method.
When buying a new car, make sure to treat it well so you don’t run into expensive problems down the road.
