I know this isn't a site where people worry too much about appearances on cars. But just because you have an older, base model car doesn't mean it has to look like a pile of junk! Sadly, by the time a base model, humble little car gets to be 20 years old or so, it has usually been owned by people that don't want to spend any time or money on it's appearance. But it's really amazing what a little elbow grease can do, so I figured I would show a trick that makes a difference with only a tiny bit of effort. Windshield wiper arms. Most older cars have them exposed even when they are parked. Generally, they came from the factory in a semi gloss or gloss black. But after a while the paint flakes off. 10 minutes with some steel wool, a piece of paper, and some spray paint, can make them look like new again. It's one of those things where you wouldn't think it matters, but once you do it you see that it helps out!
1. Make a quick pass over the wiper arm with the steel wool to remove any crud, leftover paint, etc. Then hit it with a paper towel to remove any bits of steel wool.
2. Get a piece of paper long enough to go under the arm. I really like those waxed paper floormats you get from a detailer or car wash, they last a long time for this purpose and can be reused. But it you don't have one, newspaper will work fine. You need to tear it so that it fits under the wiper arm, but you can close it up to cover the wiper blade at the same time, like this:
3. Hit the arm with some semi gloss black. Light coats, keep the can moving, and hit it twice if you have to.
That's really all there is to it. I did it on my CX, and I do it on pretty much every car I get lol, here is a comparison pic:
It's something simple, and you wouldn't notice it if it wasn't done, but when it is done it just helps your little eco ride look a little more like it did when it was shiny and new.
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