7 Exterior maintenance items you can do at home

Now that we’ve established that maintenance is a high priority to keeping a reliable car let’s look at some maintenance items you can do at home. I’m going to focus on items you can do with little to no tools and beginner skills. In this weeks post let’s look at a few exterior maintenance items for your car.

Cost: $5-$10 for a tire pressure gauge

Tires are one of the most expensive consumable parts on your vehicle. Decent tires can cost anywhere between $50-$300 each. The cost depends on many factors. Even at $200+install/tax on an inexpensive set you don’t want to be changing these often. Making them last long isn’t hard. You can do a few small things to help extend their life.

First do a quick visual check of the tires. Check for foreign objects in the tread. Look at the tread and see if they are wearing evenly. Look at all four to see if they are wearing evenly front-to-back and side-to-side.

Spending a few dollars on a good quality tire pressure gauge is cheap insurance. A lot of new cars have tire pressure monitors, but they are not always accurate. Remember to check the tire pressure when the tires are cold. First thing in the morning, or if you haven’t driven on them for a few hours.

Make sure they are even from side-to-side on the same axle. For most vehicles I recommend that all four tires have the same pressure in them. The one exception to that rule would be if you have a pickup. If you daily drive it and the back is empty you might reduce the air in the rear tires. If you have an AWD (All-Wheel-Drive) vehicle make sure they all have the same pressure in them.

Cost: Doesn’t cost anything to check. Replacement cost depends on the lights ($3-$15 for most bulbs, the caveat here is if you have projector beam headlights, which can cost up to $175/bulb)

Lights are important when you drive from dusk to dawn. Keeping the lights in top operational condition will help you see and be seen. Take a couple of minutes and walk around the vehicle to make sure all the lights work. Replace any burnt out bulbs with equivalent parts.

Cost: Glass cleaner and paper towels $4-$7, Polishing kits can be $20-$145

If you have glass or plastic headlights you might want to make sure they are clean. Get some windex and some paper towels and wash off all the bugs.

Many of the newer headlights after about 2001 are plastic. The plastic ones eventually fade or get hazy. Check to make sure the headlights are clear. This way you get the most light output. If they are faded or hazy then you may need to polish them or get replacements.

Cost: $7-$20/wiper

It’s always a good idea to keep the windshield wipers in good order. If you are in rainy or snowy climates you will use them to keep the windshield clear. Visibility is paramount to staying safe when operating your vehicle. Check for cracks or deteriorating rubber. I’d recommend replacing once or twice a year. Don’t forget that rear wiper.

Cost: $3-$5 for window cleaner, free for some old newspapers, or $2-3 for some paper towels

If you just replaced your windshield wipers it is best to wash your windshield. That way you don’t get dust or dirt imbedded in those new wipers. While you have the window cleaner and newspapers or paper towels out go ahead and wash them all. Don’t forget to wash the outside mirrors.

It’s amazing how new a car feels from the inside when the windows are super clean. Keeping them clean helps with visibility. When you have excellent visibility you are safer.

Cost: $5-$7 for soap (enough to last a couple years), $3 for a bucket, $6-$20 for a wash pad or mitt

Alt cost: Take it to a $6 touchless car wash

You should wash your vehicle on a regular basis. Dirt and grime can scratch the paint. Salt or other harsh chemicals that are put on roads can be corrosive. Keeping these contaminants off of your vehicle will keep it from prematurely rusting.

Cost: $10-$20 for a bottle of wax (should last 2-4 applications depending on the size of your vehicle), $6-$25 for some application pads and some buffing cloths

Alt Cost: Pay a professional to wash and wax your vehicle $75-$100 (This moves it outside of the cheap/free section, but if you are only spending $75-100/year for this service it ends up being $6.25-$8.33/month which is easier to budget)

Once or twice a year you should take the time to wax your vehicle. A good wax job will help protect from sun oxidation. Wax also makes dirt and contaminants less likely to stick to the paint.