The car wash is a marginal way to keep a vehicle clean when you're in a hurry, but personal hands-on time is also necessary to protect the paint and to check parts and fluids. Most of the products discussed here are already in many people's garages. If not, you can obtain everything you need at the local auto parts store.
1-Wipers & Washers
The windshield wipers and washers are obviously very important parts of your car, and they need periodic maintenance. Windshield wiper blades should be replaced once a year to maintain a perfect seal against the glass. (Hardened rubber can scratch the glass surface and will not remove water effectively.) When replacing wiper blades, make sure that the refills are the exact same length as the OE ones. This will prevent metal-to-glass contact and the serious scratching that usually results.1-Wipers & Washers
2-Lights
Another safety-related aspect that should be checked periodically is the light system. With the exception of the bright-white halide-gas headlights on expensive new sports cars, many automotive lights are just bulbs, downsized versions of the ones in your house. As such, they do eventually burn out.The car wash is a marginal way to keep a vehicle clean when you're in a hurry, but personal hands-on time is also necessary to protect the paint and to check parts and fluids. Most of the products discussed here are already in many people's garages. If not, you can obtain everything you need at the local auto parts store.
3-Joints
Although the undercarriage isn't as easy to inspect as the rest of the vehicle, it's just as vital. Underneath, all moving parts should be inspected and lubricated every few months. Areas to be particularly concerned with are driveshaft U-joints and, in front-wheel-drive cars, halfshafts and CV-joints. If you use a quick-lube place for oil changes, ask to have these joints inspected and lubed in conjunction with the oil change.4-Tire Care
Many companies now offer spray-on tire-care products. Some people prefer the glossy-black look while others like a more natural semi-gloss black. Common soap pads can be used to clean white letters and to remove the brown brake dust from the sidewalls.5-Wheels
These days, almost all new vehicles (with the possible exceptions of econo-boxes and heavier-duty trucks) are factory-equipped with alloy wheels. Some of these wheels have a natural finish, some have a natural finish with a clear coating and some are powdercoated. Regardless, all eventually get caked with disc-brake dust and road grime.
