When it comes to washing your vehicle, there’s no question as to the importance of keeping it clean. Regular washing can stave off stains, corrosion, rust and oxidation, and it can also make your vehicle look as sharp as possible. Many drivers, however, wonder whether a hand wash is as good as an automatic wash. If you’ve found yourself in this same position, consider the following:

Hand Wash – A hand wash can do a world of good for your vehicle, no matter what type it is. Washing your vehicle by hand allows you to get into a variety of nooks and crannies that an automatic wash simply can’t reach, and it also allows you to concentrate on problem spots which may be suffering from more dirt than usual. Additionally, washing your vehicle by hand can help you to keep certain aspects of your vehicle, such as rims, healthy and clean, even in adverse conditions; an automatic wash may not be able to compare, even on a regular basis.

If you choose hand washing, it’s important to take your time. In fact, you may even need to go over your vehicle and its individual components twice. Many people who choose to wash their vehicles by hand also often choose to employ a wax or polish substance to add extra shine. When using these products, be careful not to overdo it, as this can cause paint to thin or chip when dry.

Automatic Washes – Automatic vehicle washes offer the added benefit of time saved. Many busy people choose to go through automatic vehicle washes in order to get a quick cleaning job without having to invest an hour or more scrubbing every surface. Unfortunately, even the most comprehensive automatic washes today fail to adequately clean every surface. Additionally, many automatic vehicle washes offer additional services such as waxing and polishing, but the fact is, unless you perform these duties by hand, there is no way they will come close to completely cleaning and shining your vehicle.

No matter what method of cleaning you choose, it’s important to take care of your vehicle’s paint. If and when you choose to sell your vehicle, damaged paint or corroded metal can cause the resale value of your vehicle to plummet. Taking care of your vehicle’s exterior is just as important, if not more important, than taking care of its interior and internal parts.

From time to time, everyone’s vehicles tend to get dirty, and often, vacuuming isn’t enough. Thankfully, there are a number of services available to detail your vehicle, leaving it in pristine condition, inside and out. If you want to keep your vehicle in top shape, you can also plan a schedule each week to detail and wash your vehicle yourself, and these actions can enhance not only your vehicle’s appearance, but also its value. There are a number of benefits to having your vehicle detailed on a regular basis, and many of these reasons can actually benefit you financially. Below are three of the top reasons to have your vehicle detailed on a regular basis:

1.) Aesthetics

No matter what type of vehicle you drive, it’s always best to keep it looking good. While regular cleaning and washing can help, it’s always a good idea to have your vehicle detailed on a regular basis. Detailing a vehicle means more than just cleaning; it means washing and clearing out the most minute areas, such as air vents, essentially restoring a vehicle to its original factory condition.

2.) Health

Just like a dirty home, a dirty vehicle can cause health problems over time. Dirt, dust and debris can build up within a vehicle’s interior, and when the air is circulated within, it can cause respiratory problems, including asthma and bronchitis. A dirty vehicle can also be a breeding ground for bugs and other vermin, and these can go on to cause sickness and disease. Even if you aren’t able to see these bugs or vermin during the day, the fact is, they can get in and feed during the night. Because vehicles have many cracks and crevices, these small insects and creatures can squeeze through holes to get in and out, meaning you may never see them or the damage they can cause until it’s too late.

3.) Resale Value

Another major reason to keep your vehicle clean and pristine is for resale value purposes. When trying to sell your vehicle, a private buyer, dealership or car buyer will evaluate the interior and exterior of the vehicle along with the performance, and often times, their purchase decision will be partially based on the cleanliness. Taking a little bit of time to clean and detail both the interior and exterior of your vehicle before trying to sell it can go a long way in garnering a higher price.

Many vehicle owners sit around and dream of making upgrades to their vehicles, including installing premium stereo systems, speakers, chrome rims, exhausts, nitrous racing systems and more. Unfortunately, what many of these individuals don’t realize is that they may have a hard time not only selling their upgraded vehicles, but even getting the fair market value for such vehicles. While an upgraded vehicle may be worth more to an upgraded-vehicle owner and other connoisseurs of vehicle upgrades, the fact is, when it comes time to sell a vehicle, you may not be able to get a fair price for the time, energy, work and cost you’ve put in.

Most dealerships and private buyers will want to take in vehicles which are in their original factory conditions. This means that extras, such as MP3 players, televisions and performance boosters, are often looked at unfavorably. Even if you’ve spent thousands of dollars or more in upgrades to your vehicle, a private buyer or dealership will view these items as a hindrance, not a benefit. This also means that you will often be offered much less than your vehicle is worth when trying to sell it, and much less than your upgrades are worth. Additionally, your work, energy and time will typically not be factored into the price a private buyer or dealership is willing to offer.

One solution, however, is to seek out the services of a car buyer. Car buyers generally employ automotive experts, and these experts will be able to thoroughly inspect your vehicle to get a greater sense of the overall value. This means that they will be able to see the value in the upgrades you’ve made to a vehicle, including the value of the time, energy and work you’ve put in. Car buyers are also great at deciding how to market a vehicle for resale should the need arise. While dealerships often try to tout their vehicles as 100% factory, a car buyer will be able to market an upgraded vehicle for what it is: a vehicle which has been cared for, upgraded, pampered and worked on.

If you’re trying to sell your vehicle, and you’ve made significant upgrades to it, don’t waste any time trying to get a decent price from a dealership or a private buyer. Contact a car buyer to discuss your options, and get on your way to receiving a fair price today.

All too often, drivers suffer from dings, scrapes, dents, rust and corrosion, all as a result of not taking steps to protect their vehicle’s finish. Even things such as rain and dust can eat into a vehicle’s finish over time, so it’s important to take steps now to avoid these hazards through everyday use.

Mind Your Parking – One of the most important steps you can take in minimizing damage to your vehicle’s finish is to park in the right spot. While most people seek to find the closest parking place at a shopping center, the fact is, most people are careless when opening vehicle doors. This may mean that parking in close proximity to another vehicle could result in your vehicle receiving chipped paint, dents and more. Try to park in spots which are away from the front of a shopping center, and try to find spots which are unoccupied on either side for maximum protection.

Wash and Wax – Another great way to protect you vehicle’s finish is to wash and wax it regularly. This may seem like a pain, but washing and waxing your vehicle on a regular basis will help it to avoid rust, corrosion and more. Another key is to avoid automatic washing machines. While it may seem like a good idea to pay a few bucks to go through an automatic car wash, the result is usually less than perfect. An automatic car wash is designed to give a quick fix for all vehicles, and these solutions typically do not take into account the size or age of a vehicle. Using an automatic car wash on occasion may be ok, but hand washing and waxing your vehicle once every two weeks or so is a better idea.

Keep an Eye on Your Paint – As your vehicle ages, it may develop spots where paint peels, chips or fades. At that point, you may feel compelled to have you vehicle repainted, or at least touched up; however, before doing so, it’s important to know who to trust. There are a number of paint shops out there which will give you an entire repaint job for a few hundred bucks, but the reality is, if you really need to have spots touched up, you can usually find a quality professional for much less. If you’re experiencing spot treatment problems, take some time to search around for the best value before deciding on a paint professional rather than relying on an amateur to repaint your entire vehicle.