Have you ever bought a car you loved more than life itself-only to mess it up with a stupid mistake? Life can be tricky and lay some unexpected booby traps for you and your car, leaving your car looking a little older from damage and you with a few more grey hairs from stress.
I have been the proud owner of a Chrysler New Yorker, to a Ford Focus, to a Jetta GLI, to a 2005 BMW M3, to 2008 BMW 335i. If you have ever driven an M3, you will know that after driving a New Yorker and Ford Focus that this machine is one of the greatest gifts to man.
For me, I have never driven anything so fast and agile.
There is a voice that comes from the back seat that whispers to you… “faster.”
This car was born for speed.
My M3 was white, with a cherry interior, competition package, SMG shifting (paddle shifts) and when you stopped at a light (despite its age) people looked.
I loved this car.
Sometimes the best thing to do is to learn from other people’s mistakes so you can be kept in the know and avoid the things that others have fallen victim to.
The following tips are from personal experiences that have left their mark on the two cars in which I’ve cared for the most, my M3 and my 335i.
Many of these mistakes were avoidable so consider this article a gift should you ever find yourself in a similar situation in which you can steer clear of an unfavourable result.
#1. NEVER make a turn unless you are 100% sure
Well, you might guess where this is going… The love of my life was lost in a left-hand turn. Scarlett (God rest her soul) was my M3 and I was on Franklin Blvd. in Hollywood, CA the day she lost her life.
I was making a left and it was a four-lane road. The traffic in the lane closest to me was stopped, and I was waved through by a truck driver. I couldn’t see the far lane and I went.
I screamed before impact and Scarlett was smashed into a lamppost. She was written off signalling the end of a fantastic voyage. It was a hard lesson but after this tragic event, I have never driven more carefully.
#2. Park far away from other cars in a parking lot
I know many of you may not like this one but hear me out. If you value the way your car looks without dents and door dings, then you will reduce the chances of someone hitting your door.
Shortly after Scarlett passed, I bought a BMW 335i and I remember the day when I got the first door ding. The incident occurred in the Dollarama parking lot in Ajax, Ontario Canada on the passenger side. The car that was parked beside me had already driven away so I was left with some damage to stew over.
If this ever happens to you, know that you, know that there are places that offer mobile paintless dent repair in Toronto to remove dents instead of getting your car fixed at a body shop.
You might be wondering “What is PDR and how does it work?”
Paintless dent repair is exactly as it sounds-dent removal without paint. It’s a relatively new technique in which technicians can use one of three options for dent removal. They can use glue, dent pullers, metal rods and in some cases suction cups to restore damage on a car to its original condition.
If the damage isn’t too severe these guys can remove a dent from a door panel in less than three hours. You can text the damage to a place like ACS Dent Repair and they can give you an estimate over the phone.
The best thing you can do for your car is to prevent anyone from getting the chance to give you a door ding. Although it may sound obsessive, I encourage you to be that guy (or girl) parked at the end of the lot.
Avoid the people oblivious to the state of their car who swing their doors open with grand swoops as if they were exiting a stagecoach.
Reduce the odds of your car being hit by keeping it out of harm’s way as much as possible.
#3. Fix problems as they happen
It may sound obvious, but if you’re tight on time or money, the tendency is to prolong the repair of your car when something needs fixing.
The problem with this is that you can cause the domino effect and trigger more things to malfunction.
A personal example was when my car was overheating. I was adding water to the coolant to get me from point A to B for at least a few days because I was working long hours. The car was making it work on the first day but eventually, the time it took to overheat was reduced to me being stranded.
Not only did I need to tow my car but also I had done some damage to the engine.
#4. Use an indoor garage
Whether you live in a place that is hot or cold or experiences both extremes, always try to park your car indoors. Stretch the vibrancy of your vehicle by avoiding the elements, which will fade your paint over time.
Keeping your car indoors protects your car from the ice and snow that otherwise sits on your car in the winter months. This will cause the paint to fade.
On the flip side, if you can avoid hours of baking your car in direct sunlight, this will also keep your car looking newer for a longer period of time.
Extreme temperatures expand and contract the metal parts of your car, which eventually lead to deficiencies and additional maintenance to your vehicle.
If you have a cluttered garage, it might be time to make some room for your car with some spring-cleaning.
If you live in an apartment, pay the extra 20 bucks a month for indoor parking. The added protection from the elements will add years of youth to your vehicle.
#5. Avoid gravel roads
If you use a GPS, Waze, or Google Maps, you may find yourself in unfamiliar places when taking alternate routes. If there were one thing I would avoid like the plague, it would be gravel roads.
If when using some form of GPS you end up on a gravel road en route to your destination, stop your car immediately. Literally, pull over. Make a U-turn, a three-point turn or whatever you need to do to find another way!
It was too early in the life of my BMW 335i that I found myself on a gravel road and although I slowed down when I hit the gravel, the result was a lot of paint chips on the front bumper and around the wheel well.
I would have rather been late for work.
#6. Invest in good winter tires
If you have a rear-wheel drive vehicle-you have no option but to invest in winter tires. All seasons will NEVER be good enough. After driving my car from California, I found this out very quickly in an ice storm.
The deductible was $1000 however the damage to the car was around $15k after sliding into a guardrail. I now have an excellent, fresh pair of winter tires every single winter.
#7. Clean tinted windows with non-ammonia cleansers
Did you know that ammonia-based cleansers will make the tints on your car bubble?
I bought my car with the windows already tinted, so no one warned me that the tint would bubble by using cheap dollar store spray cleansers.
Avoid cleaning the inside of your windows with any cleansing agent that contains ammonia.
It’s been harder to see out the rear window for a few years. I’ll get it fixed soon though.
Small mistakes can last a lifetime
All of these mistakes can be avoided and although some might be common sense, sometimes hearing it can make all the difference. Small mistakes can last a lifetime and although you can live with them-why not avoid them entirely?
I hope my experiences save you any potentially unpleasant events that can be avoided by making the right decisions. Keep your car looking fresh and new for as long as possible by giving it the attention it deserves.
