10 Ways to Make Your Old Car Feel New

The best thing about your old car is that you've already paid for it. Most of us grow tired of our used cars long before they're used-up cars. But money is tight for just about everyone, so why throw away a car that's running well just because it's feeling worn down, looking beat up and has lost some of its athleticism? Cars built in the last 10 or 15 years can go 200,000 or 300,000 miles if given the right care. And there are some simple ways to spice up your long-term automotive relationship without using up whatever is left on your home equity line of credit. What it takes first is the determination to re-commit. By John Pearley Huffman

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Clean Everything

I'm not talking about just a quick, superficial job, but a hardcore scrubbing of everything you can reach. Shampoo the carpet and upholstery, excavate all the trash moldering in the trunk, remove the spare and get into every nook and cranny of the tire well, and remove the seat cushions and pick out all the petrified potato chips. If you have the technical aptitude, take out the front seats and vacuum under there. Clean all the grime from the engine bay and get under the car too.

This is a pretty obvious first step. But the cleaning pays off because all that time spent tidying up the car is also time spent inspecting it. This is your chance to uncover hidden problems.

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Source: http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/how-to/maintenance/10-ways-to-make-your-old-car-feel-new?src=rss

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