Considering how much time you`re going to spend in your car, it`s important that it feels like your own. After all, you`ll be covering thousands of miles in it, spend a great deal of your life in traffic, and most likely will have the same car for years upon years. It makes perfect sense, then, to provide your car with a personal touch -- one that transcends your car from being merely a transport vessel to a complete extension of your personality or to make your car feel as your own.
Whether it`s personalizing your license plate, installing car subwoofers to play your favorite songs, or changing the whole interior -- a car only begins to feel like yours once it`s got your own personal touch.
If you`re struggling to feel at home in your new set of wheels, give these 3 things a try:
Give Your Car Some TLC
Though it may sound obvious, the simplest thing you can do to make your car feel like yours is to show it some love. Cleaning your car doesn`t cost much (or anything, in some cases) and it also isn`t time-consuming.
There`s nothing worse than a messy car interior, and the presence of clutter in your car can give you a reputation that is hard to break out of. Treat your car as if it was your home -- because, in a manner of speaking, it is -- you`ll be spending plenty of time in it, after all.
If you`ve bought a used car, make sure that you inspect its engine -- as its previous owner may have been neglectful with it over the years -- especially if the car is several years old. Not only will this save you money, but it will also get the car back to its old, roaring self.
The effort of cleaning your car gives you some precious one on one time with it -- allowing you to develop a bond with it, and the therapeutic nature of cleaning can help you unwind with your new four-wheeled friend.
Sometimes, all a car needs is some attention. Put in the effort with it, and you`ll soon develop an attachment to it to an extent you may have never previously thought possible.
Put Your Stamp On Your Car
Everybody`s pocket is different. Not everybody can afford to causally replace their whole car`s interior at a drop of a hat, or replace their license plate with their own name or birthday.
However, there are still plenty of more frugal options for those looking to personalize their car. Bumper stickers, for example, cost very little and enable you to express your whole personality in their car. You could also invest in a new paint job -- or add cool gadgets to the inside of your car if you want to be seen as, and feel like, a technological whiz.
Take Your Car to Your Favorite Places
Though it may sound silly, driving your car to a location close to your heart can help grow your attachment to it.
Think of a location that is special to you -- it could be a lakeside country park, or it could be a nostalgic urban location of your youth. Whatever it is, taking your car with you can help associate it with those locations -- allowing you the chance to bond with it, and making your car feel as much of a part of you as those special locations.
Your car will feel like yours over time. Try not to rush the process and allow your relationship with it to grow naturally. Soon enough, you`ll begin to wonder what your life was like without it.