We are in the midst of the holiday season here in Asheville. Decorations and lights make for a magical scene everywhere you go. People are singing and carols are ringing and there is generally good cheer despite a difficult year for western North Carolinians. We are grateful for the season and all of the support we have received from our community, but we are also looking forward to the New Year. As we approach the day when the calendar starts over, people across the area are thinking about what kind of resolutions and goals to set. At First Aid Collision, we are here to help drivers set good New Year's Resolutions for their cars.
How to Set Good New Year's Resolutions
New Year's resolutions are a fun way to think about how to improve your life as we restart the calendar on January 1st. However, 80% of people fail to keep their New Year's resolutions, and less than 10% of Americans believe they are truly successful. One reason people find it difficult to achieve their resolutions is that they fail to set smart goals, or better yet, SMART goals. "SMART" is an acronym that stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound.
Rather than setting a goal to "wash your car more often", a SMART goal that would be more specific might be washing your car twice a month. You will then want to measure that goal, saying you are going to wash your car every second Friday or Saturday. Set an achievable goal, so if you know you cannot hand wash your car twice a month, make it more reasonable. A relevant resolution is one that means something to you. If you know your car is being damaged by lack of washing, it will mean more to you to keep your goal of washing it. Make sure the goal is time-bound, routine, something you can track on a calendar or in a journal.
What Are Good New Year's Resolutions for Your Vehicle
Keep Up With Maintenance
Let the New Year be an opportunity to put reminders in your phone and calendar to keep up with routine maintenance.
- Set goals to change your oil regularly
- Set goals to keep the proper amount of air in your tires and have them routinely rotated
- Set goals to check and change brake pads
- Set goals to keep up with tune-ups and other maintenance
Driving Habits
Do you have driving habits that need to change? Do you need to improve your safety, check your mirrors more often, slow down, etc.? Set New Year’s resolutions that help you improve the way you drive. Keep a journal in your car and write down when you succeed or fail to check your mirrors every 10-seconds or drive within the speed limit, or whatever other habits need to be adjusted. These goals will help you take better care of your vehicle and may even help reduce the occurrences of body damage.
Cleaning Your Car
Do you find your car's exterior or interior is never as clean as you want it to be? You always want it to be cleaner but it just gets out of hand. This is the year to be resolved to keep your vehicle cleaner. Set up a calendar with reminders to wash your vehicle's exterior and remove trash, vacuum, and organize the interior.
Repairing Body Damage
Have you had dents, dings, and damage on your vehicle for months at a time or more? Not only is it aggravating and aesthetically unappealing, creases, dents, dings, and chipped paint leaves your car's body unprotected against the development of rust. Resolve this year to keep up with your vehicle's body, paint, and collision repair.
At First Aid Collision, we treat your car like it is our own, with care and precision. We know your vehicle is an extension of you, so we want to make sure it looks the way you think it should. Body damage, whether minor or major is something we know you want to deal with as soon as possible. If you have minor dents or dings or have been in an accident that may have even caused significant body damage, First Aid Collision will work with your insurance company to ensure the best possible experience and quickest fix possible.
For drivers ready to work on their car's New Year’s resolutions, we are your trusted western North Carolina body shop. Contact the team at First Aid Collision, or just bring your car to us for your vehicle repair needs.