Returning a Vehicle to Its Former Glory

Have an older vehicle in the driveway? What was once the newest and coolest thing on wheels, is not that fresh anymore, but there are some ways drivers can return their used car to its former glory.

Is It Worth It?

Before we discuss how to fix up an old vehicle, one should look into the costs of sprucing it up versus its worth. The easiest way to do this is find out as many details about the vehicle as possible. What trim is it? What features does it have? The easiest way to do this is to grab the vehicle identification number from the vehicle (near the bottom of the windshield) and pop it into an online VIN decoder. That will tell you all you need to know.

Then either go to KelleyBlueBook.com, or a dealership, or both and find out how much that old vehicle is worth. Calculate the costs to fix it up, and decide if it’s worth the the investment. For example, if getting some body work that’ll cost about $2,500 done on a vehicle that is worth $3,000 may only net a $500 profit – is it worth it?

Make that Engine Purr

Alright, so you decided to tackle this fixer upper project. Let’s start with the outside, as that may cost the big bucks. First, get the vehicle checked out for regular car maintenance and handle any worthwhile repairs that can increase the vehicle’s performance such as replacing the brake pads , cleaning the headlights , and powertrain components . Also take care of small-time maintenance, including replacing wiper blades , getting new tires , an oil change , replenishing the various fluids such as brake fluid , power steering fluid if applicable, coolant , transmission fluid , windshield wiper fluid – you get the picture.

Taking Care of the Exterior

Now that you know the vehicle is running well, it’s time to make it look as good as it drives. Does it have scratches or dents? Rust damage? What can you take care of yourself? If the scratches are minor, and possibly just messed up the paint job, a scratch pen , nail polish , or even a small a pplicant of the body paint from an auto store or brand name dealership can get the job done. Dents may be a little tougher, but there’s always the suction cup technique – plop a plunger onto small dents to pull it back out. Rust and deterioration may take a professional.

Decide whether or not you want to just get a new paint job or some auto detailing . Either of these can cost several hundred dollars or more depending on the quality of the service or the plan/package. For instance, a basic auto detailing job that covers a wash, wax, interior vacuuming, interior polish, window wash, mirror and trim cleaning, and tire cleaning can cost anywhere from $50 to $200 depending on the size of the vehicle. A more upgraded auto detailing plan or even just a focus on rust removal and protection can cost $100+ alone.

Beefing Up the Interior

Before we dig into this, how about a good cleaning? Now that the exterior is taken care of, giving the car’s interior a little wash can’t hurt. That means also taking care of the interior by picking up loose garbage, vacuuming the floor, wiping down plastics, shampooing and scrubbing the upholstery, and maybe some light scrubbing of the center console.

How are the seats holding up? Is the upholstery damaged, and how much? If just the front of the seats are damaged, some decent seat covers can make them look like new. If you want to add some comfort or luxury, heated seat covers and seats with massage capabilities are worth looking into. Otherwise, the upholstery may need to get redone, and that will cost some money – up to $300+ per seat depending on the material used i.e. leather or cloth.

To protect the floor from constantly getting dirty, look into getting some rubber floor mats . They’re easier to clean than carpet mats and won’t smell like a mildew covered carpet would if it were to get wet. Also take a look at the steering wheel and dashboard. Are either cracked, damaged, or could use some tuning up? Just like seat covers, steering wheel covers and dashboard covers are sold at auto stores to spruce either up, or even given the cabin a whole new look.

Also, if we’re talking about tuning things up, that audio system is probably out-of-date. You don’t have to go to a dealership for this. Many electronic stores like Best Buy will have a department for automotive audio devices, some that even come with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay functionality . Something basic will likely cost $50 to $100, but something more modern that has it all can cost anywhere from $300 to $3,000. We’d suggest getting an audio system with at least Bluetooth and MP3 functionality to make things a little more modern.

* With some smart shopping, a lot if not all of this can be done on a budget. Remember, we also have a service department that can provide parts and help with some of the heavy lifting for the more complicated tasks. *

Photo Source/Copyright: Shutterstock.com; Chantal de Bruijine

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