It is said that time is the ultimate destroyer of things and life. Well, that’s true in the case of cars too. No matter how good a car was when it came out in freshly minted condition from the assembly line, with time, it’s appearance and functioning takes a hit. Thankfully, there are ways to keep our cars look and feel younger, just like there are things to keep us feel fresh and young. No, we are not talking about any botox shots for cars here, but a few things which could help keep your car feel younger, essentially as good as it came from the factory. Let’s take a look at some of the problems cars face with the passage of time along with how to rectify them.
Starting with the most evident of problems,
Outdated styling
![Exterior Detailing And Cleaning]()
This is one of the most evident problems that begin to pop up as your car grows old. While you can’t just swap a vehicle’s bodywork for a cooler-looking version, this doesn’t mean that nothing can be done to get back its original sheen. Getting a new coat of paint or better a new shade of your choice is a sure shot way of making your car look better and fresh. Moreover, getting the plastic and rubber bits polished and having the wheels refurbished further help the case.
Also, if you want some customizations and make your car look different from other examples on road, simple modifications like alloy wheels, slight lowering of the vehicle, and even exterior decals and wraps do that job pretty nicely. However, as per the stringent motor vehicles law of our country, you have to get all the new modifications endorsed on your vehicle’s papers if you plan to make some serious changes. Don’t blame us later saying we didn’t tell.
Worn out and shabby interior
![Car Interior Restoration And Cleaning]()
The exteriors are not the only thing that the beating from time. Though the exteriors begin to show signs of age earlier, the interiors too fade away into the oblivion slowly. More than looking old, a car’s interiors are something that begins to feel old. Thankfully interior treatment takes care of stains and discoloured leather. A good polishing to the dashboard gives it the original shine which makes it look quite fresh, almost like new.
Apart from that, what one can do is to use new carpet and mats, changing seat covers and door panels along with thorough cleaning can make all the difference. A new air freshener is another inexpensive thing that can make the car smell better. If you want to keep your interiors stock, that’s perfectly fine. Or, you can go for a whole new look to have a new feel.
Now getting to some serious problems
Rust
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Rust is a car’s worst enemy and there is no way that can be completely stopped just by loving your car. Love is fine but with that, you need to get some work done on the car to ensure it runs free of rust. This brownish flakey enemy of your’s cars metal can be sitting in a corner, near a hinge, or worse still might have consumed a panel already. If preventive measures aren’t taken, then chances are that it has done so.
Some of the measures to be taken in such conditions are the removal of rust, replacement/repair of the affected panel, and getting an anti-rust treatment. The bodywork might take some time but if done at the right time, will save your car’s body from further damage. A few important things to note here are that un-repaired parts, damp carpets, and even accumulation of dirt can trigger rust. Humidity makes matter worse and you need to take extra care of your beloved if you stay in a humid part of the country.
Bad Handling
![Wheel Alignment Hunter]()
If you would have noticed, cars often get personified by their owners and other automobile enthusiasts. There’s a fairly good reason for that too. Often, a car is best operated by its owner and that’s because one slowly get accustomed to the way our vehicles behave. A sort of connection or bond is formed between the owner and the vehicle if it is looked upon with love. However, this love also means that owners often don’t get to see if there is a slow, gradual deterioration in the way a car behaves. Love, they say, can make one go blind. With age, components like tyres, wheels, and even the suspension are bound to go ‘kaput’ and it all can collectively hamper the way a car handles.
To avoid any such condition, wheel alignment and balancing need to be done periodically. The tyre wear and the suspension should also be checked over time. Any deviation in the normal functioning has to be taken care of, even if you feel it is just slightly off. Further TLC including changing tyres shall bring the vehicle close to how it came from the dealership.
Reduced performance
Even without any major damage, the performance of a car takes the downhill road over time. This is because of the gradual wear and tear of the engine and other moving parts of a car like the transmission. Like in the case of handling as discussed above, the throttle response and the gearbox feedback among other things may give weaker feedback compared to their initial condition. However, getting the engine back to its shape isn’t a big task.
As the informative video by Fifth Gear shows, just a few simple steps can make the engine run optimally again. One can start with the cleaning of the tank and the fuel lines, and move further to changing the engine oil and filters (oil and air). Changine the spark plugs and connecting leads are the next thing that would help make the car run better. The replacement of vital components can bring the engine back to its former glory. The best part, they are not very expensive too.
Also Read: Maruti Suzuki's Celerio and Celerio X get a slew of new safety features
