You have bought the car, and you are taking care of it, but are you doing it right? I had done some mistakes when I bought my first car, because of which I had to undergo some more expenses, which could have been avoided. 

Also, your car is the love of your life, which might fade away, if you are not working hard to keep your car brand new, by doing some work on it.

Well, there are a lot of ways you can help protect your new car, and many of them are super easy to follow. Just hold on to some items like car shampoo, and washing clothes, especially the microfiber one, and you will be good to protect your car's shiny surface and interiors.

1. Always look for covered parking:
   You need to protect your car from potential rain, sun, and wind damage, therefore park in a garage at home or look for other covered parking that will protect your car from unwanted weather.
   
   Parking your car outside without any protection will lead to damage to your car's body and the color will start fading out.
    
2. Stay away from trees:
   It's easy to get flattered with the shade and park your car under a tree. Whether you are parking your car on street or in a parking lot, try to be away from the overhanging objects like trees. This is because trees or other shrubs can leak sap onto your car and can also invite birds to poop on your car. 
   
   Also, if the weather gets a bit bad, the tree can damage your car if it fell on the car. So it is always advisable to steer away from trees and low-hanging shrubs.
    
3. Ensure that you clean off any bird dropping as soon as possible:
   This is important because bird droppings can leave a stain on the surface of your car, and hence you should wipe it out as soon as you see one using a soft cloth.
   
   You should always keep tissue papers in your car. I usually keep a tissue box in my car, and whenever I see some bird has done his or her work, I go ahead and clean it, because I have experienced the stains that their droppings can have, and it is really difficult to get rid off once it's dry.
    
4. While driving be away from trucks:
   This is something that I learned the tough way because I used to think that driving near trucks is safe as nobody overtakes you. And this was my mistake, on that day, there was a truck, which suddenly accelerated, and one big stone hit my window, and it broke.
   
   It is better to be in another lane and stay as far as possible. Larger trucks tend to kick up rocks which can dent your windshields and cause cracks. Also, avoid going offroad, even if your car is one, to save your surface from pebbles and chips of stones.
    
5. Clean your car every twice or thrice a day:
   Your car is made up of metal, so that means you need to care for it, but don't overdo it. This is because some parts may catch rust if exposed to higher amounts of water.
   
   You can start with having 2 clothes, one should be wet, and another one dry. You can also try with 3 buckets, one with soapy water, and the other one with clean water to rinse off the soap water. You can use a third bucket to clean the tires.
   
   Always keep a dry cloth to dry off the extra liquid, as it makes sure that your car surface doesn't have any watermarks once it is completely dry. If you have a pipe that is even better as you can regulate the water pressure to wash hard stains.
    
6. Ensure that you dry your car with a clean cloth or chamois:
   This is a very important step because you have worked hard to clean your car, and now you don't want to stain it again. Spread a clean cloth across the surface of the car to soak up more moisture and wring out the towel if it becomes too wet. Make sure that you use a different towel to clean your tires or else small dust particles can scratch your car surface.
    
7. Vacuum the car daily from the inside to get rid of dirt and dust:
   You can use a handheld vacuum to clean out your car if you have one or visit a local cleaning shop. This is important because your hands cannot reach the crevices of the car, and you want to ensure that you get those dust particles out to make your car look beautiful from the inside.
   
   Removing as much dirt as possible daily will keep your car clean and dust-free. 
    
8. Pay extra attention to your glass:
   Glass in your car is really important because it allows you to see outside, hence ensure that you use good quality glass cleaners as recommended by your car manufacturer to ensure that you don't have any dirt outside and inside your window.
    
9. Always cover your car, when not in use:
   Well, this step is easier said than done, but it is always good to keep your car covered with a body cover to ensure that sun rays or dust don't harm your car.
   
   Also, covering your car's body with a body cover will ensure that your paint doesn't fade away, and it will also keep your car shinier for a longer period.
    
10. Check for the user guide of the car:
    This is again an important step because your user manual has all the things that are necessary to keep your car in the best condition. Therefore, you should always refer to the user manual to check for the ways to keep it maintained properly.
     
11. Keep away your car from playgrounds:
    This is commonsense because children play with anything they get their eyes on. So, it is better to keep your car away from playgrounds. Also, there can be a scenario, when a ball breaks the window of the car or can even create a dent if the children are playing with a season ball.
     
12. Check for a parking space before you buy a car:
    This is because once you have bought a new car, then it becomes difficult to keep your car outside, as there are so many people coming and going from the road, and you don't want anyone to scratch or make a dent in your car.

Conclusion;
Owning your car is a great experience, and this is something that everyone should do once in their life.

But maintaining it is another ball game altogether. This is because several external factors affect the car's maintenance. For example, where are you parking your car, how much sunshine is there in your area, how much rain do you experience, and so on?

Therefore it is better to think about the ways by which you can keep your car new for a longer period even before you have purchased one.