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(ARA) – For most Americans, their car is the second biggest investment they will make in their lifetimes. The average price of a light vehicle is $28,715, according to the Comerica Index.
It makes sense to have an annual cleaning ritual to help preserve and maintain your car, just as you undertake regular cleaning to care for your home.
"Aesthetic maintenance is important to preserving a vehicle’s integrity and value,” says Ron Fausnight, Shell Car Care technical expert.
“Routine maintenance, including washing and waxing your vehicle, can be viewed as preventative maintenance that helps to preserve a vehicle’s paint from the elements while restoring a polished, new look.”
Tires and wheels are often overlooked when washing a car, but they are two areas that take the most abuse throughout the year. Road grime, salt and brake dust can quickly collect on wheels, and without proper removal, can lead to discoloration of aluminum alloys and corrosion and pitting of steel alloys used.
When removing the debris, use a cleaner that is pH-balanced to avoid any potential damage to the composition and finish of wheels. A pH-balanced product such as the Black Magic Titanium Wheel Cleaner is as gentle as soap and water, but contains stronger cleansing and shine agents that are safe to use on all wheel types.
"While all preventative maintenance is important, maintaining a vehicle’s safety features should be an even higher priority,” Fausnight says. “Roadway safety needs a multifaceted car care approach, and taking steps to ensure visibility is important.”
Changing wiper blades at least once a year, combined with using a hydrophobic windshield repellent such as Rain-X Original Treatment, can dramatically clear a driver’s vision. The treatment seals the microscopic pores of glass, causing any precipitation to bead up and roll off the windshield.
In fact, in tests conducted by a major university, the increased visibility provided by Rain-X improved driving response time up to a full second or more.
“Regular maintenance for your vehicle does not necessarily only relate to the exterior. With gas prices climbing higher than ever, many people are looking for ways to clean the inside of an engine to maintain a vehicle’s performance and fuel economy,” Fausnight says.
In some cases, cheaper gasoline can be a low-quality fuel that meets the minimum requirement of detergency by the EPA, but may allow deposits of gunk to form in a fuel system. One way to help remove this gunk is by using a fuel additive to clear deposits from fuel injectors, intake valves and combustion chambers.
One such product is the new Shell V-Power Complete Fuel System Cleaner that contains more than three times the required cleansing agents by government standards for premium gasoline.
The fuel treatment actively cleans all components of the fuel system restoring optimum performance and fuel economy while also protecting from future deposit build-up. When used regularly, a product like Shell V-Power Complete Fuel System Cleaner can actually reduce carbon monoxide emissions and help the engine run cleaner.
Incorporating these tips into an annual cleaning routine, and performing regular maintenance, are important steps to preventing the deterioration of a vehicle and may help to save money in the long run.