[Akshay1234]

Here is my Accord. It was manufactured in May 2007. Still looks pretty good if you ask me, and performs just like new. Easily crosses the double ton whenever conditions permit. Its washed every day (trying to cut that down). Only run about 25k kms yet. I get it detailed every six months, and service done once a year. Sure it does have a few scratches, but can't help that in Mumbai. This pic is about 4 months old, and the number plate with its dent has been replaced.

[su1978]

Thanks GTO for the wonderful article. If i start writing this down, i think i can fill a full notepad with thanks for this great article. I feel proud to be laughing stock of my colleagues, family, friends and neighbours due to car maintainence habits. My sundays are so occupied by my my cars and my bike that my wife sometimes threatens me with "divorce". My service advisor also recognize me by my car.

This is 100% true that "a car says a lot about a personz character. Or in other words, "the way a man keeps his car is the way a man carries himself". I practice 99% of what is mentioned in this article. Here is a snap of my "second wife"

[SujAce]

Thanks GTO for the informative article. Well written and well presented.
My Santro has been in a well-maintained condition (apart from a few scratches, courtesy Mumbai roads) for almost 7 years now.
While scooting around for the next car, I was offered abt 2.5L as exchange. However, the family and I decided against it since it is one of my first owned gaadi.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by noopster

Had better luck with the Swift that I bought used in 2009. The original owner had kept it pretty tight at 30,000 km. It's close on 75K now and still looking and running like new. Touch wood!

She drives like she has run 1/2 the kms on the odometer. That was my first comment after driving your Swift in Pawna.

Originally Posted by rakchow

Prior to the Fortuner we had 2 consecutive Innovas both which had run 150,000+ in 2 years each. The engine was tight, pick up was awesome and it used to zoom on the highways. Toyotas are the most reliable vehicles on the Planet.Period.

While Toyotas are the most reliable, body-on-frame Toyota diesels are absolutely indestructible. They are stuff of legend.

Originally Posted by akshay1234

Here is my Accord. It was manufactured in May 2007.

Man, the car looks tight. You are lucky on the indoor parking you have for your cars.

Originally Posted by su1978

Here is a snap of my "second wife"

Neat. Just a suggestion : Remove that after-market crash bar. In a crash, it damages your car more than it offers any protection. Will make your car look better too

[AviG]

Lovely tips and I am also one of you guys who believe - 'Respect the machine and the machine respect you!'

I follow a strict regime of keep the car serviced regularly. Oil change, Air and fuel filters. Since my daily route is quite an dusty affair, I keep a check on my air filter every couple of weeks.

Exterior wise, I would rather let the cars be dusty and do a thorough clean once a week to prevent swirl marks hence I do not dust the car if I have no time.

Here's a pic of my interiors and engine bay of my Getz which is almost 4 years and 62K on the odo.

[faustus77]

Originally Posted by R2D2

Ditto here

You may be aware that in the Mumbai-Pune region (elsewhere too) Parsis are a community that have a reputation for maintaining their cars/vehicles very well.

As for my neighbours, a Parsi gentleman in my housing complex tells me I have very Bawaji (Parsi like) habits and even enquired if one of my ancestors was a Parsi. LOL! He was so convinced that he once asked my Dad (who did look like a Parsi) and even Dad was most amused. Many of my dearest long time friends are Parsis and I helped them maintain their cars and bikes.

And yes, many of my friends wait for me to sell my car. They see a good deal in getting an immaculately maintained machine.

PS - you may have seen the VW Polo advert with a Parsi gentleman. He's seen gently wiping the hood of a '80s VW hatchback, another Polo I think Well, that's something like me.

PPS - I can attest to the fact that washing a car is good exercise.

Hi
And the background music is "Unchained melody"
Being Cyrus starring Saif,Boman Irani and Dimple also had a scene of their attitude towards their car.A dog pees on Irani's tyre and he immediately picks a mug of water and washes it.
AFAIR cafe Mondegar's owner has a superbly maintained 1950(or thereabouts) Austin.
Regards

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by faustus77

A dog pees on Irani's tyre and he immediately picks a mug of water and washes it.

I do the same

In fact I go the extra mile by shooing them off when they come near and sniff the tyres and/or the bumper. As an ex dog owner and dog lover I can kind of predict a canine's next steps.

A cat has made my car its home. It somehow squeezes in between the engine block and the hood and curls up there. This is for reasons yet unknown.

The hood lining/dampening material is covered with cat fur. No issues with that as it definitely keeps any rats away from my car. But kitty sometimes chooses to sharpen its claws on the car's paint or uses those sharp claws whilst climbing down from the hood leaving small scratches. Can't have it all. Those scratches are removed using a very fine 3M rubbing compound followed by a quick wax to preserve and seal the finish. And yeah, kitty does leave his/her territorial markings on the wheels!

[stringbh]

Very well summed up GTO. For a relatively new (to be) owner like, these tips are very helpful.

unlike @rohan_iitr, I would still ask a slightly different question, how much does outside cleaning of the car contribute to good maintenance of the car?

If you drive responsibly, do not accelerate unnecessarily and try your best to ensure a smooth driving style so that none of the mechanicals are strained, and ofcourse never miss service intervals, and follow the guidelines with GTO has mentioned, then, you should be fine right ?!

My other worry right now is the crammed garage for my new vento and lack of much space in my street. Once I come out, i am fine, but it is getting the car outside without damage/scratches takes a bit of skill. I do not know why we have got such narrow streets in our country with pathetic planning (don't flame me !). My wife has already warned me on levels of punishment for each scratch offence

[shk 8896]

Somehow GTO forgot abot this Palio.Our Vipul Singh's 10 year old Palio 1.6 GTX

[su1978]

Neat. Just a suggestion : Remove that after-market crash bar. In a crash, it damages your car more than it offers any protection. Will make your car look better too

Thanks GTO for the suggestion, this after market crash bar is something that i have done out of compulsion and not out of choice. Motorists here in delhi are really careless drivers and they will always try to squeeze their way out brushing past your car. Does not matter even if you are standing still on a traffic signal. Still, Bikers will come and bang against you rear bumper. If there is space in front, these bikers will brush against your front bumper damaging the paint and number plate. After all these mishappenings they will stand and give bad glare as if i would have committed a crime. At least this crash bar throws a word of caution to them.

One day while going down the flyover, there was a traffic jam. The person behind me in a qualis was talking on his cell and everytime instead of pressing on the brakes, used to bang his car in my rear bumper. Irritatedly, i got out from my car and asked him if everything was all right. He was totally ignorant of his behaviour and was smiling like a stupid.

[su1978]

Further to my post above, i also maintain my other 2 vehicles in pristine condition. The Sparky is 3 years old and has done 42k kms and the Pulsar180 is 4 years old. Clocked around 40k kms. All these years i have been shamelessly caring for my vehicles all the time enjoying my ride.

[nandans2005]

Originally Posted by Santoshbhat

A couple of buckets of water a week to wash my beloved car should not qualify as wastage of water I don't think. Each of my cars get just two washes a month, given that I wash my cars alternatively. FYI I do harvest rain water and do believe in energy and water conservation. Thanks for the advice but sorry I do not think I am wasting water by washing one of my cars every weekend. Its basic hygiene for me and my cars which I cannot sacrifice.

Santhosh,

Probably i am responding very late since i was travelling. Harvesting rain water is fine if it rains, right ! in Karnataka, we have reached almost a famine condition and interstate meaningless debate to share water. Wonder where all these issues will end ?

I was only suggesting that we in the forum avoid washing the cars with corporation water when there is an issue with this precious natural resource. Mind you, the stores selling mineral water have started charging 10 % more on the MRP in Bangalore these days understanding the grave situation we are going into.

i have 5 cars to take care, but i ensure that none of cars are getting a wash unnecessarily whatsover. If you happen to see my cars on the road, probably you will stop me and suggest a free wash.

My intention here is to get real in life and nothing else. The cars can stay without a wash. Lets get judicious and discreet in everyday life, lets change India, let us work together to get INDIA on the top. let us set aside our egos. Let us all make a start. There is a severe shortage of cooperation in us. Lets remove it.

Everyone thinks " Me alone cant change the nation, but at the sametime, if all the population thinks we can make a change, things will change for good"

Think about it.

I rest my case here anyway.

[shibujp]

Sound advice and well written.

I was especially happy to see the advice on babying the suspension of the car. I used to think that perhaps the problem was with me as I ease my car over ruts, potholes and bumps on the road while folks around me simply flew over them. Nice to know that I am in good company.

I am not great in the interior cleaning department. I do wash my carpets out once a week and do a vaccum once a month but I simply do not put in the effort that I do in the exteriors and the mechanicals. Trying to improve in this aspect.

Drive on,
Shibu.

[AVT]

Really helpful stuff I must sau. Thanks a lot GTO.

I just have few doubts regarding the paint maintenance. My 2010 cruze was rear ended by an alto 2 years back, damaging the rear bumper. The car was repaired by my chevrolet service station .

Now I am noticing weird cracks in the paint at multiple points , they are not very big or noticeable easily.
The paint has also lost some of its glossy lusture as well.


Another thing about the paint protection thing from 3M ( I guess its same as teflon) .
Because my car is black I opted for 3M's paint protection.
During the first service teflon was done by the chevrolet guys. After a year I got the second coat done which was carried out free of charge. Still my car is full of swirl marks.
Do you think these things are nothing but hoax ?

I regularly wax my car , is there any other way to protect the paint ?

[n.devdath]

Originally Posted by AVT

Now I am noticing weird cracks in the paint at multiple points , they are not very big or noticeable easily.
The paint has also lost some of its glossy lusture as well.

This is because the surface was not primed properly prior to painting and hence the paint is cracking. It could also flake up in the near future and the best remedy is to get it repainted at a reputed shop. Also, since your car is black, it is pretty easy to match the color and paint it.

Originally Posted by AVT

Do you think these things are nothing but hoax ?

We have a thread which explains why the so called "Teflon" coating is nothing but a hoax.

To maintain your car, go through this thread:http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...guide-467.html