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Mistakes first time car owners make

legs outside of car window first time car owner mistakes

Having or purchasing a car is one of the most important things in life you should be proud of, it means you have earned it through your hard work. Although buying a car is not cheap but owning one is expensive. Why? If you purchase a car, you will pay for tax, for gasoline, and for toll fees. Not only that, given the fact that every car needs maintenance, some cars’ maintenance could be pricey depending on the car you have. Or if you want to purchase gadgets for your car, some gadgets are expensive, or if you want to upgrade your cars’ performance, it could be expensive.

Additionally, accidents are avoidable but still happen, and accidents that damage your car could be expensive, having a small dent repaired could be pricey, or what if you got involved into an accident and got someone hospitalized? You’re not only going to be paying the fees to repair the car, you’re also going to be paying the person’s hospital fees, and other fees included. So buying a car could either be cheap or expensive, but whether it’s cheap or expensive, owning a car is expensive.

So owning a car is no joke, before purchasing a car, make sure you have the right knowledge and the right financial status to own one. Sometimes we don’t notice that the small things we do with our car are damaging it, this happens to first-time car owners, so that’s why we have provided you below the mistakes first-time car owners make.

Absence of practicality

When you purchase a car, make sure it suits what you need. If you’re a solo person who lives alone and has no partner, it’s better for you to just buy a sedan type car, if you have a big family purchase an SUV or a minivan, or if you love to travel with friends on long road trips, purchase a van, if you love to go on off-road adventures buy a 4×4 SUV. Just make sure that the car you are about to purchase suits your needs.

Washing your car through a car wash

Washing your car through a car wash is not my advice, because these carwashes might have fragments that could scratch your paint job. It is better to bring your car to a car wash with manpower used to wash your car, or just wash your car by yourself.

Using chemicals under the sun

When washing your car, avoid giving it a wash under the sun, the chemicals in the soap you are using may have a negative effect when you use it under the scorching heat of the sun. Likewise, when applying wax to your car, avoid applying wax under the heat of the sun as the chemical could damage the paint job. Make sure to wait until the sun sets, or wash your car inside your garage.

Immediately driving off when starting the car

This is one of the common mistakes car owners make, they start their car and immediately drive off. If you start your car, wait for 15 to 30 seconds until you drive off, this is to make sure that the oil has completely reached all parts of your vehicle.

Mixing up fuel

When you mix up fuel in your car, problems could occur that could be expensive to fix. Make sure you always know what fuel to put in your car, and always have a presence of mind.

Immediately revving

This is another common mistake car owners make, driving off then revving your car immediately. Always wait for your engine to warm up before going on a high speed.

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Surprising Benefits of Keeping Your Car Clean Regularly

clean car parked with three people standing outside

Having a dirty car isn’t just an eye sore, but in time it becomes a liability – dirt adds to its wear and tear and may cause future damages which will require you to spend and may lessen the lifespan of your car. Meanwhile, keeping your car in pristine condition by cleaning it regularly, has a lot of surprising benefits that come with it.

Maintains and Regains You and Your Car’s Attractiveness

The appearance of your car and how well you maintain it is a reflection of our personality and lives. When a person gets off a spick-and-span car, we may have this impression of seeing the person as being clean and well-maintained. Now, we would want people to have that impression on us, right?

Regularly cleaning your car also keeps your car attractive, of course! You can make something look great by as simply as cleaning it. Doing some regular auto detailing like vacuuming, and car washing will help prolong the spark of your car – keeping it looking good even after how many years! Now, that’s getting the most of your money!

Keeps the Resale Value High

Cars that are well-kept and well-maintained, preserving its mirrors, window, headlights, wheels, tires, and all internal and exterior parts in mint condition, has a higher resale value. Regularly cleaning your car will help maintain them and keep them away from rusting and wearing as time passes. So, be responsible for keeping your car clean and now – you won’t regret it in the future when it’s time to sell it.

Improves Your Safety

How is this, you say? Well, a regularly cleaned car keeps it spick-and-span. The car becomes more visible for other drivers to see. It also maximizes the driver’s vision from the inside while driving. While a clean interior removes any potential safety hazards – like rolling empty water bottles near your foot where the gas and brake pads are. At the same time, it provides fresh clean air for the people inside –  minimizing dust, molds, and allergens.

 

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10 Practical Ways to Keep Your Car Interior Clean

eating burger inside the car

Car owners do not spend enough time, effort, and money for their car’s interior as much as they spend on the exterior. If you are one of them, by all means, pay attention to your interior too! An unclean car interior can be unsightly and can be a breeding ground for germs and viruses. Besides, maintaining the cleanliness of your interior can help in adding years to its usage. Here are simple ways to keep your car interior clean:

1. Have a Designated Trash Can

Make it convenient for everyone to throw their trash like candy wrappers, tissue, bottles, and coffee cups. This may be as simple as a plastic bag hanged from the back of a passenger seat. Not only will you maintain the cleanliness inside your car, but also lessen in littering the environment!

2. Clean Surfaces

Our hands tend to leave grime on the surfaces of the interior then accumulates dust on it. Make it a habit to wipe the surfaces regularly with baby wipes or a clean rag kept in your car always.

3. Avoid Eating Inside

This may be hard to do but it will be extremely helpful in eliminating unpleasant odor and food droppings. Maintain your car as a dine-free zone. But if you REALLY need to eat inside your car and have no choice, just be sure to keep trash bags stored in your car and clean up immediately after eating.

4. Stomp Off Your Shoes

Keep debris out of your floor mats by making this a habit. Your shoes can bring dirt, sand, and mud into your car. Sit on your seat sideways and bang both feet together. Do this especially in sandy areas like on a beach. Now put in your feet back inside – minus the debris build-ups.

5. Don’t Let Spills Set

You can never avoid spills especially when you have kids riding in your car. Don’t allow the upholstery to soak in the spill and leave it there for a long time – this can cause a stain and growth of mold. Have a clean rag you can use in case someone spills something. Or better yet, enforce the “no eating and drinking inside the car” rule.

6. Windows Closed Please

You can deal with a higher amount of dust and dirt build up when you leave your windows or sun proof slightly open when parked. Stop this habit and make it a point to close every opening even small cracks to cut down on dirt build-up.

7. Keep Baby Wipes

Store some hygienic baby wipes in your glove compartment at all times. Our hands can get grease from food and contain germs. Make it a habit to wipe your hands before touching the steering wheel. Also, this is best to use for unexpected spills.

8. Be Organized

Don’t just get rid of clutter from your home and office desk – you car interior also deserved to be organized! Get rid of receipts, papers, documents, and other piles inside the car. Invest in car accessories that are meant to organize your things inside.

9. Don’t Smoke

Cigarette smell inside your car is one of the hardest to get rid of. Do not smoke inside your car as the smoke can cling to your upholstery.

10. ShakeOut Mats

Be consistent in doing this and build a habit of shaking your mats regularly.This will get rid of debris build-up coming from your shoes.

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Common Questions and Myths about Cars in Japan

This first blog post is sort of an introduction and just for a starter. Since I’m from Japan and would love to share and promote our Japanese practice when it comes to automotive.

japan cit with cars

For years I’ve been asked questions about common myths and how we do things differently. Here are answers to those common questions you’ve been wondering about:

Why do cars in Japan usually look new?

It’s common for people to comment that cars in Japan seem to look so clean and new always. No signs of rust, bumps, dents, and dirt. Well, the reason is that Japanese have a particular habit of maintaining their car, and there’s an automobile inspection system going on. This regulation is conducted as part of improving the living conditions and to help the traffic flow – by preventing vehicular breakdowns.

The inspection stated is done when a car turns 3 years old, followed by every 2 years of inspection until it turns 11 years old, then following a yearly inspection. This inspection is strictly done by Government test centers or authorized service stations only. Japan is stricter when requiring parts of the car to be checked which is in every 6, 12 or 24 months.

Are Japanese forced to change their cars after a few years?

handing over car keys

No, this is a myth. It was different from about 5 to 6 years ago, since cars older than 10 years old need to pass an extra car inspection test. And if they don’t pass this test, they will be required to have it repaired or get a new one, depending on the situation. There’s the main car inspection that is required to be done by EVERY car owner every 2 years, which ensures their car to still be in driving condition.

What happens to the cool, still looking “newish” cars that are abandoned?

Japan is known for giving birth to new technologies and new gadgets. New things happen in Japan with their discoveries and fast advancement. This country is also known to be clean and has rust-free cars. The average lifespan of a car is around 6 years, and when a car is deemed too old, they are usually sold for almost nothing and shipped to Africa, America or England

Where can I buy these cool, still usable cars from Japan?

Of course, who wouldn’t want to buy second-hand, well taken care of cars from Japan? And we are sure the prices are so much cheaper and worth the money! You can buy some Japanese Import Cars from the following:

  • Gray Market

These aren’t usually still available in the market and the models are usually attainable through personal imports.

  • Online Auction and Ads

Nowadays, people would prefer to buy online for its convenience and easy communication with the seller. It also minus the hassle of showing up physically for comparisons which you can do over the internet. Make sure to research the model and ask all needed questions before going for a test drive.

  • Check Used Car Lots

Tip: Have a trusted mechanic with you when shopping here. There’s a huge quantity of import cars stashed in used car lots and you might even find surprisingly rare models.

There you have it. Here are answers to those questions that have been at the back of your mind. If you have any questions, kindly comment or send me an email!

I’ll be posting more articles about cars but mostly about maintaining this wonderous, badass mechanical monsters. Watch out for more!