Last Updated on Apr 3, 2020 by James W
After the heady Christmas season, we are always looking for ways to cut down on spending. After all, we are bracing ourselves for the impending credit card bill! And it seems that the one thing that we can never cut back on when it comes to cost is our car. Putting your car in for a service is usually a costly procedure because they always manage to find something that you didn’t know was wrong with it in the first place. And you’re not a mechanic after all! Otherwise, you could just fix it yourself and save a lot of money! And there are ways to give your car an overhaul for a decent price, so let’s look at what you can do.
Step One: Prepping The Vehicle
If you need to fix the interior after the kids have got their mitts all over it, this can be done over the course of a weekend if you plan ahead. Before starting, vacuum and shampoo the vehicle and give it ample time to dry to save you time. If you get the right materials ready and in advance, it will make life a lot easier. Getting the right reconditioning product will help the velour, carpet, plastic and vinyl look like brand new. When purchasing a reconditioner, you can get color charts, so you can purchase one that is as close to your interior as possible.
Step Two: Cleaning The Inside
Vinyl/Plastic: Using a scuff pad, apply the reconditioning soap to all of the surfaces. The surfaces with more texture need more effort. Wipe the surfaces clean using a dampened cloth, and allow them to dry.
Carpet/Velour: Spray the plastic and leather prep on the velour or carpet and scrub lightly with a nylon brush. After the prep has dried, use a vacuum on it. The spray will have a strong smell of solvent, so be sure to move the car to a shaded area to let the interior dry naturally, and keep the windows down.
Step Three: Cleaning The Outside
There is no need to contact an insurance company every time that there is a dent in the car. While we all have had minor discretions on our license, or more severe ones, such as a DUI, it can cause our insurance to go up in cost. While you can get professional legal advice for DUI, and how it affects your ability to claim on your insurance, if your car has exterior damage, there are ways to rectify it.
Scratches: Using a standard DIY scratch remover can remove the vast majority of errant key scratches.
Headlights: Car headlights can end up looking a lot milkier in color, this is because of oxidization of the covering, which can be a real issue when it comes to safety, and there are specialist products to clear up the headlights.
Dents: Ah, the dreaded dent! There are some surprisingly effective ways to fix a dent. Firstly, if you use a plunger, the suction can be strong enough to reverse the dent. Or if that doesn’t work its magic, using a hair dryer and an air duster to expand and contract the metal so it can pop out.
