Cars are commodities that are expensive both to buy and to upkeep. What makes it worse is that most cars depreciate in value over the years and therefore there’s no real investment to be had with these vehicles – except of course the freedom it brings.
If you’re not someone who fancies swapping out their car every few years and you don’t have an interest in having the latest set of wheels, it’s worth knowing what can make your car last. Some cars are much more sustainable in their shelf life than others and their shelf life can sometimes be determined by how well it’s kept by their owner or previous owners.
I’ve “adopted” several vehicles over 15 years old. In my recent video, I picked up a 1998 Toyota Landcruiser and did some simple refreshes upon delivery.
Here are some helpful tips to update an old car and make it look brand new.
Get rid of any dents or scratches
Are there any dents or scratches currently in the car that could do with ironing out? Perhaps they’ve made the car look a little more worn out and tired than it actually is. For example, you may have a 2020 model that looks like it rolled out of the manufacturing line more than two decades ago.
Keeping the exterior in good shape is important and that’s why taking your car to Canadian Dent might be just the solution for fixing any vanity blemishes on the car. From dents to scratches, going into a professional car studio is useful when you want to make some minor adjustments to help fix some of those areas of the car that are making it look worn.
It’s worth getting rid of any dents or scratches every couple of years or so, depending of course how susceptible you are to getting this type of damage. Try to avoid areas where this type of damage to the car is more common. It’s something that you can avoid for the most part.
By getting these dents or scratches fixed, you may find the products added to your exteriors, preventing more damage from occurring.
Purchase the right cleaning materials for interior and exterior
There are lots of cleaning materials out there for cars and vehicles in general. However, there will be specific cleaning materials that are designed specifically to cater to certain car models and brands in general.
It’s worth getting the recommended cleaning products that the manufacturer suggests but if it’s not affordable, there are plenty of dupes out there. If you’re new to cleaning a car, then there are plenty of how-tos and guides online that you can explore.
My pick? Super clean! I used this to clean the inside carpet and brake dust on the wheels. Works like a charm!
Get new seat covers and floor mats
To help give your car that refresh every so often, consider buying new seat covers and floor mats for the car. Over time, there’s a lot of footfall and that leads to wear and tear on your seat covers, as well as the floor mats.
There are lots of helpful guides out there in order to help find the right mats and seat covers for your car in particular. With the seat covers, you may only wish to add a sleeve over the top half or bottom half of the seat to cover the damage.
Upgrade any tech where possible
A clear sign of an outdated car is the tech that’s inside it. If you’re wanting to hold onto your car for that bit longer, then upgrading the tech is certainly worth doing. Consider your radio or dashboard being removed and upgraded with the latest options available.
I added a multimedia screen with GPS and Apple Play into the Hilux. It’s a handy upgrade for a 2005 truck.
Depending on the car and its longevity, you may only wish to do the bare minimum if it’s not going to last much longer.
Wax and polish your dashboard
A new look can be achieved by simply waxing and polishing your dashboard. There are a lot of scuffs and scratches that often happen with your dashboard, so it’s always worth giving it a wipe-down and sealing it over with some wax. This not only protects the dashboard itself but it’ll also gives it that brand-new feel to the interior of the cabin.
Find any replacements for missing or damaged features
If there are any missing or damaged features of the car or anything that needs replacing, it’s definitely worth finding those replacements online or down your local car’s manufacturing point. Items such as used truck boxes for sale can be found online and are well worth replacing. They enhance your vehicle and improve its functional usability. These little details can make a big difference to the look and performance of the car, in some circumstances.
To help update an old car this year, make use of these tips here and you’ll be fooling everyone that you’ve had a new car.