Cars always start to feel and look boring after you own them for some time. Rather than selling it or trading it for a new car, you can make your old car exciting again and improve your driving experience.
If you follow the following steps, you might make your car feel brand new again.
Clean your car.
Cleaning your automobile shouldn’t be that difficult if you’ve been diligent about maintaining it. If your automobile is clean and well maintained, it may not really make a difference. However, if your car is dirty and messy, you can do a few things to improve its appearance. These include the following:
- Cleaning your car’s windows.
- Vacuuming your seats and carpets.
- Removing all the garbage in your car.
- Getting rid of any weird smells.
- Wiping all the trim pieces and plastics.
- Emptying the ashtray.
You have the option of doing the cleaning yourself or hiring a professional detailer to handle it completely. It might cost a couple of dollars, but your driving experience will improve, and you will fall in love with your car.
Catch up on the repairs and maintenance.
If you’ve let minor problems accumulate and become annoying, it’s time to fix your car. Getting rid of these minor problems might be the key to improving your experience with your car. Here are some fixes to look into:
- Checking for any leaks in your exhaust system. Fixing it will typically cost below $100 and improve your car’s sound.
- Repairing or fixing squeaky brakes.
- Finding and fixing any annoying and distracting rattles.
You should also get any overdue maintenance done. Change the oil or do a tune-up to ease your mind and improve your driving experience.
Do a paint correction.
If a hand wash won’t make much of a difference for your car, then go the extra step and give it a paint correction. Paint correction is cheaper than getting a new paint job or buying a new car.
Fix your worn-out seats.
Old cars tend to have worn-out seats with cracked or torn bolsters. They make your car’s interior look dull, boring, and ugly and can even be uncomfortable to sit in.
Depending on how damaged they are, you can go to a leather repair shop or upholstery or install a seat cover and armrest cover. However, consider replacing them entirely with new ones if your seats are too damaged.
Restore the headlights.
Even though faded headlights are easy to fix, most old cars have cloudy and dull headlights. They not only make your car appear old and rundown, but they also reduce light, making it more difficult to see the road, especially in poor lighting conditions or at night.
You can get a headlight restoration kit in a store to fix the headlights yourself or hire a detailer to get the job done for you. You can also replace the headlights, though this is usually more expensive than fixing them.
Upgrade your audio.
The technology of car audio systems improves in a concise amount of time. Changing the audio system to a more recent update is good if you want your car to feel more modern and up-to-date. You can improve the entire system or the head unit to make a big difference to your car’s interior.
Refinish or replace your car’s wheels.
Old cars usually have beat-up wheels that make them look worse. Refinishing your wheels or replacing them entirely will make your car feel fresher. However, combining this with a paint job or a paint correction can make your car look new. Try new wheels from newer models of your car to give it the upgrade it needs.
Do performance upgrades.
Your old car could use some more horsepower and a new gearbox. If you want your car to feel like a faster and stronger machine, changing its horsepower will remove the necessity to buy a faster car. You can also get a better exhaust or intake, get a better suspension, or tune the ECU to improve its performance more subtle.
The Bottom Line
It is important to remember that you don’t have to get the latest and greatest automobile. A time will come when your old car will be considered vintage and trendy, so don’t get rid of it.
Following the above tips can go a long way in improving its appearance and performance.
