Should you detail a new car?

Advice for new car owners

Fortune favours preparation, and there are a few things new car owners can do to keep their new car looking new and prevent those little incidents which you may regret later.

The first thing we recommend is to put the spare key somewhere safe. Do not keep it in the glove compartment. If you lose your keys, it is no good if your spare car key is locked in the safe, if you lost the safe key. But the main reason we recommend keeping the spare key safe is that they are expensive to replace and so many people put them somewhere so safe, they forget where. If you sell the car on later, or return it to a lease company, it will be expected that it comes with a spare key.

We also recommend you get a touch-up paint from the dealership when you get your car. Or better still, get one from Chipex, who we highly recommend. We even have a discount code:- newagain+5

Make up a survival kit

While there is a slight chance you might get stuck in the snow and need a camping stove and shovel, but we are actually talking about a survival kit for your car. A collection of kit that may help it from suffering the slings and arrows of daily use. Having said that, having a first aid kit, torch and fire extinguisher in the car is always highly recommended. A safety triangle and high visibility vest is also desirable, and essential if driving on the continent, and Euro Driving Kits are available which contain a host of useful stuff. You can go one step further and get LED emergency lighting.

You should also ensure your car has suitable equipment for dealing with a flat tire and know how to use it. Many cars don't come with a spare wheel and a jack and have alternative arrangements which you should be familiar with. Otherwise, you don't want to have to learn where the jacking points are on a dark rainy night.

Travel blanket

A travel blanket is an amazingly useful thing to have in a car. If you took the kids to the beach, and they are covered in suntan lotion, this can stain your seats, so have them sit on a blanket. If the dog jumped in the pond, it is easier and cheaper to clean a blanket than having the car detailed.

You can also use it for packaging. If you were at a craft fair and couldn't resist buying those picture frames with very sharp corners, wrap them up in a blanket to protect your car.

You can also use it as a towel or all the normal things you use a blanket for.

Bin liners

They take up no room at all and can be incredibly useful. If you are transporting anything wet, such as a tin of paint, we recommend putting it inside a bin liner in case the lid pops off. It could save you a lot of heartache.

It is great for anything dirty, such as plant pots or muddy boots, and you don't have to put stuff inside, it's plastic sheeting you can lay in the boot or footwells.

While we are on the subject of plastic sheeting, such things, along with disposable or semi-disposable plastic seat covers, are available on eBay for very little money. Ideal for adventurous types who like piña coladas and getting caught in the rain.

There are some fantastic boot-liners now that have a padded section which rolls out over your back bumper and helps protect your paintwork. For dog owners, there are rather attractive rear seat covers. 

Two good microfibre cloths

Because you shouldn't be wiping your windows with your hands, we recommend a good sized glass cleaning cloth. We also recommend a large drying towel. Microfibre can clean to some degree without soaps and very absorbent, so they are great for drying oily hands or mopping up spillages.

If you vape, you may also want to get some glass cleaner, as vape clouds can cause a hazy residue on the windows, especially when it's cold outside. The best way to clean windows is to give them a good wash, but at a pinch, a large cloth and some glass cleaner will get you in the clear.

Silicone Squeegee

This is an essential kit which you will never need until you do! We aren't keen on hard ice scrapers, we think you are better off letting the car warm up, as modern cars shouldn't take too long to warm. If you have frost on the wing mirrors, de-icer is a good solution. But there will come a time when you need to clear rain, condensation or snow off your windows. And you shouldn't be wiping your windows with your hands. In fact, we are quite insistent on it. This is because we have seen too many windows scratched by people's rings. This is an expensive accident to have, especially on a windscreen.

Rubber Mats

Your car will likely already come with carpet mats and replacing them with rubber ones might not sound like a very attractive idea. However, if you have a gravel driveway or muddy puddles, they might be worth considering if only during the winter months.

Disposable Gloves

These are incredibly useful to have lying around. Latex gloves can be easily sourced, but failing that, buy a packet of Marigolds. Depending on what you do in your spare time, you might want to take this a step further and include other pairs of gloves in your car kit. I have some Thinsulate gloves, riggers gloves, and some leather welding gloves in the back of my car. It's not a fetish, don't judge me!

Related to keeping your hands clean, it might also be worth keeping a packet of baby wipes and some anti-bacterial hand sanitizer in the car.

Spare pair of flats

We are really good at carpet repairs, and we get lots of practice. It is usually caused by high heels, which can go right through a carpet in no time, below the accelerator pedal. So, it's advisable to get a pair of slip-on flats as your driving shoes. Any colour you like, go wild.

by Danny Argent
technical writer, education and training.