Top Ways to Maintain the Value of Your Car

A vehicle is a big investment. One of the biggest investments most people make in their lifetime. And no car, truck, minivan or sport utility vehicle (SUV) holds its value. They start depreciating the moment you drive them off the dealership lot. However, this is not to say that a vehicle does not have some value. Even an old

Avoid Excessive Wear and Tear

A lot of people use their vehicle for more than transportation—and it shows! Towing boats and recreational vehicles, moving items from one house to another, hauling plants and shrubs, making extra money by driving kids in the neighborhood to and from school. There is no limit to the things people use their car, truck and minivan for. However, all of this leads to wear and tear on the vehicle and is not good over the long term. When a vehicle is treated with respect, it shows too.

Choose carefully where to park

Door dings, bumper scratches and fading plastics are like wrinkles on the skin — they’re going to happen regardless, and they’re going to diminish your car’s value. But you can minimize these blemishes by parking away from other cars, choosing empty spots in the far reaches of parking lots as often as possible (despite the protests from teenage passengers). Also choose spots that leave your car less vulnerable to passing or turning vehicles, and choose a parallel spot at the end of a row if there’s no empty side-by-side stalls. Keeping the car in a garage, if possible, away from the harsh effects of ice and sun, also helps.

Don’t smoke in your car

Not only does cigarette smoke give the interior of a car the smell of impacted ashtray, but it can also cause interior surfaces to dull and even turn yellowish-brown. Since only 22% of the adult population smokes cigarettes, you can be certain that the cigarette smell in your car will be offensive to at least the 78% of the population that doesn’t smoke. That will cut the potential market for your car substantially – as well as the value.

Be a responsible driver and a car owner. 

This holds the top spot when it comes to importance. Practice strict compliance with road safety guidelines. Drive safely and do not Overspeed. Take your time. Treat your car like a living creature. The more pressure that you put into it, the more that it stresses out itself. The faster it tears. 

Keep in mind that – after all – you are craving for longevity and not for a short stint. By also employing proper driving practices, you are minimizing the risk of accidents, which is one of the fatal circumstances to avoid.

Drive it easy

Some people drive their cars like they’re still in high school – engaging in a rapid acceleration, sudden stops, hard turns, and crude parking jobs. As exciting as those actions may be at the time that you’re doing them, they’re taking a toll on your car, particularly if you make a habit of them over the years you own it