Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, which means you’re probably thinking about getting flowers and other thoughtful gifts for your loved ones. While you’re at it, you might also want to consider finding a way to show your car some love. After all, your vehicle is a valued family member, taking you wherever you need to go day after day.
Best of all, unlike your ex-spouse, your car isn’t picky about how you celebrate Valentine’s Day. You don’t have to go to a fancy restaurant or buy expensive gifts. All you need to do is show your daily driver (or weekend warrior) some TLC to keep it running and looking its best.
Regardless of whether you drive a sports car or a minivan, there are plenty of ways to show your vehicle you care on Valentine’s Day. Here are some thoughtful gestures to keep in mind when the special day rolls around.
Have you been ignoring obvious problems with your car, such as an illuminated check engine light or strange noise from the undercarriage? For Valentine’s Day, you can fix those issues to make up for being neglectful. Not only will your vehicle thank you, but you might also save yourself from bigger problems (and a bigger repair bill) down the road.
When you’re juggling work, kids—and everything else in your busy life—it’s easy to forget about routine car care. To get caught up, consider tackling any due (or overdue) routine maintenance on Valentine’s Day. You can determine what maintenance is due and when by consulting the manufacturer’s maintenance schedule, which can be found in your owner’s manual or supplemental service booklet.
While you’re at it, it’s a good idea to also check common wear items (e.g., brake pads and tires) to see if anything else needs to be replaced. That way, you can take care of any obvious repairs at the same time.
Be honest with yourself—when’s the last time you drove your car through a car wash or cleaned the dog hair out of the interior? If your car were a person, it would have broken up with you long before Valentine’s Day for such behavior.
But you can redeem yourself by cleaning and detailing the interior and exterior. Start by washing the outside, then follow up with a thorough detail job involving polish, wax, etc. Next, move on to cleaning the interior and applying a plastic restorer to the dashboard, door panels, and other appropriate areas.
These days, there are an endless array of accessories available that you can add to your car for an improved overall experience. For example, you could install a set of seat covers or floor mats sporting your favorite design. Or maybe you’d prefer to add a portable vacuum cleaner or trash bag to keep the cabin clean—the possibilities are endless.
Are you carrying around dozens of fast food napkins and empty water bottles in your car? Now’s your chance to get rid of all of that junk and become organized. Start by throwing out anything you don’t need. You can then use containers and dividers to organize loose items and keep the cabin clutter-free.
Any type of music—from Metallica to Justin Bieber—sounds better on a high-quality stereo system. While most cars don’t come with the best stereos from the factory, it’s usually fairly easy to upgrade the speakers and head unit for a more powerful sound. Adding a couple of amps and subwoofers will improve the sound even further.
Once you’ve completed the upgrade, you can blast romantic tunes from your souped-up stereo to celebrate Valentine’s Day.
Not everyone has the luxury of being able to protect their car inside of a garage. If you keep your vehicle outside, you might want to consider purchasing a portable garage (or carport) if you have the space. Otherwise, a car cover is the next best option when it comes to protecting your vehicle from the elements.
Pet odors and the smell of stale french fries wafting through your car’s cabin are unpleasant, to say the least. Thankfully, you aren’t limited to battling offensive odors with puny hanging air fresheners anymore. There are now all kinds of ways to freshen up your car’s cabin, ranging from aerosol sprays to chlorine bombs (yes, really). So, there’s no excuse for a stinky interior anymore.
Even though Valentine’s Day only comes once a year, it’s a good idea to show your car love all year long. A little TLC goes a long way towards keeping your vehicle running and looking better, longer.
You don’t have to visit several stores just to hunt for the right parts and accessories for your ride. From vital components like brake pads, spark plugs, and valvetrains to stylish accessories like floor mats and seat covers, CarParts.com has everything you need for your vehicle.
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Any information provided on this Website is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace consultation with a professional mechanic. The accuracy and timeliness of the information may change from the time of publication.