Best Ways To Make Your Car Look Like New

March 1 is the unofficial meteorological first day of spring, and for many – if not most– parts of the country it couldn’t have come soon enough. Snow, ice and frigid conditions can take a toll on a car, truck or SUV’s appearance, and with temperatures finally beginning to reside on the plus side of freezing it’s a great time to give the family fleet a freshening.

A well-kept ride should look as good as it runs. A vehicle that preserves its showroom-fresh shine will not only look and feel new for tens of thousands of miles down the road, a meticulously kept vehicle can bring in additional cash at trade-in time. According to Kelley Blue Book data, a three-year-old BMW 540i sedan with 36,000 miles on the odometer that’s in “excellent” condition will currently return a trade-in value that’s around $2,000 richer than will an otherwise comparable version in “good” condition that suffers cosmetic deficiencies.

While some would simply take a cherished ride to the car wash (or if feeling flush pay a professional detailer several hundred dollars to slave over its appearance), it’s easy enough to save some cash and bond with the bodywork by taking a Zen-like hands-on approach to spring cleaning.

Begin by paying attention to the vehicle’s interior to avoid getting dust and dirt on what would later be spotless body panels. Vacuum and spot-shampoo the carpeting and carpeted floor mats using a home rug-cleaning spray to avoid permanent stains from ground-in mud or road salt. Likewise, remove vinyl floor protectors and give them a good wash and rinse.

For cloth seats, vacuum the upholstery and shampoo as necessary, using a spray-foam upholstery-cleaning product. Vacuuming the cushions prevents dirt from acting as tiny knives that will ruin fabrics. For leather seats, apply a leather-restoring cream using a clean terrycloth towel.

Treat the dashboard and plastic or vinyl surfaces, with Armor All or a similar product to give them a like-new gloss, and to keep them from drying, fading or cracking. Use a cotton swab to work the treatment into seams and to brighten up vents, crevices and other irregular surfaces.

Common household window cleaners work well for most automotive glass surfaces, but a mixture of white vinegar and water is often recommended for tinted windows.

Once the inside is ship-shape, it’s time to pay attention to the vehicle’s exterior. Always wash and wax a car or truck in a shaded area to prevent water spotting and to keep the wax from drying too quickly and baking onto the car’s surface (sun-hardened wax is especially difficult to remove).

Be sure to use a soft rag, either made of terrycloth or flannel, when washing or waxing a vehicle. Nylon or synthetic towels or paper products are not as absorbent, and may scratch the finish.

Completely hose off the car and begin shampooing its exterior from the top down, using an acid-free non-abrasive cleaner that’s been diluted with water according to the manufacturer’s directions. While some owners may use common dishwashing soap, be aware that household cleansers or detergents can remove the protective polymer coating from a car’s surface. Scrub wheels and tires using a stiff bristle brush, and a proprietary wheel-cleaning product if necessary, to remove dirt, grease and disc-brake powder.

Rinse off the soap, again spraying from top to bottom, letting an adequate supply of water stream down the finish. Be sure to spray thoroughly underneath the car and inside the wheel wells to loosen road grime and clear the areas of residual rock salt. Especially if you won’t be waxing the car that day, remove water beads using an absorbent chamois and allow the surface to dry.

Before wiping down the bodywork, however, pay attention to the water beads that form on the surface. If the beads are smaller than a quarter, the surface’s wax barrier is still active. If water starts to form elongated beads or a thin sheet on the horizontal panels, it is time to re-wax the car.

Various kinds of products are offered in this category, with paste wax generally regarded as being best in this regard. Enthusiasts tend to sing the praises of pure carnauba and other natural waxes for the dazzlingly deep shine they afford. Apply a coat of wax to the car and buff it to a mirror-like shine according to the information provided on the can or bottle – for example, many waxes must be applied using a damp cloth. A quicker and easier alternative is to use liquid or spray wax. Unless the vehicle’s surface is badly dulled or oxidized, avoid using products that contain an abrasive compound.

Those with especially deep pockets can go all in on a costly paint sealant treatment, ceramic spray coating or even a clear protective paint film to arguably best protect the vehicle’s surface against dirt and the elements.

Treat the tires, exterior rubber and/or plastic trim with the aforementioned plastic/rubber protector. Better yet, choose a specific tire foam/shine product to give the tires a wet-look gloss and further protect the rubber compound against fading and cracking.

If the car is more than a few years old, consider using a headlight lens restorer to help bring yellowed plastic headlight lenses back to their original transparency. It’s usually sold as a kit that includes sanding and buffing items as well as the lens polishing chemicals; it takes a bit of time and effort to accomplish, however.

Finally, those who live where the climate is especially harsh and don’t have access to an enclosed garage at home and/or workplace might want to consider using a full car-cover when parked for ultimate exterior protection. Look for one that provides top water resistance and fits the car, truck or SUV vehicle snugly. A basic cover can cost well under $100, with top-quality examples going for as much as $500, depending on the size and materials used, On the downside, car covers can be annoying to put on, remove, and store, especially in the rain and wind, and especially when Old Man Winter makes his inevitable return.