How to Protect a Sedan

Whether your sedan is worth hundreds of thousands of dollars or just hundreds of dollars, it's still worth your while to take time to care for it properly. A sedan is a valuable method of transportation. Think of it this way: the longer you protect your sedan, the longer it is until you have to wear a bike helmet. Read on to learn more.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Purchase a warranty and insurance. Caring for a sedan will be made miles easier with these protections. A warranty will cover repairs, upkeep and general maintenance. Insurance will cover your sedan in the event of an accident or involuntary damage. Yes, these things are expensive, but the pay-off will be worth it in the long run.
2. Change the oil. Replace the wipers. Change the air filter. Rotate your tires. These minor maintenance moves will help you protect your sedan for a longer period of time. Accidents from debris in the road or inclement weather are less likely to occur with fresh blades and rotated tires.
3. Wax your sedan! A very important car care step that most are too lazy to carry out often enough. Waxing not only protects the exterior from chipping and rusting, but it's like sun tan lotion for your car's paint. Frequent waxing will help keep paint from fading under the sun's harsh light.
4. Park a sedan under a covered car port or in a garage as often as possible. Not only does this protect the vehicle from bad weather and exposure to the sun, but this greatly reduces the risk of car break-ins and theft.
5. Install a security system in your sedan. There are a number of ways to care for the vehicle in this way. If you have the budget for it, install an alarm system. A cheaper option is to buy a steering wheel lock. These are inexpensive and readily available at a car parts store or on the Internet.
6. Care for the interior of your car. You can obsess over the exterior, install security and park nightly in the garage, but if you don't care for the interior of a sedan, you can forget about any re-sale value. Use a common protectant for vinyl, special leather-cleaner for leather, a glass cleaner for the windows, a foam cleanser for cloth and floors and an all-purpose cleaner for the remaining interior. All of these items are available at a car parts store, an auto mechanic, on the Internet or even at your local department or big box store. You will get the best advice at a car parts store.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider the purchase of a GPS navigation system if you travel often. These systems can help you cut back on thousands of miles each year by giving you more effective and direct driving routes. This will certainly protect your car from taking a beating on the mileage!
• It's generally a good idea to park a sedan in shade. This protects the car from sun exposure. However, many shady spots have trees that like to drop goodies on sedan roofs. Bird poop, tree nuts and sap are all popular excretions for a tree. These goops and glops can stick to your car's paint. Not only are these substances difficult to wash off, they have a tendency to take the paint with them when they go. Cover your car if parking under a leaky tree.