> especially with all the rain here in Seattle. My budget is super tight now but what are the absolute must-have exterior things I need so I dont ruin it? In my experience, living in wet climates means you gotta prioritize protection before anything cosmetic. Mud guards are the absolute priority. Over the years, I've seen way too many EVs get their lower panels sandblasted by road grit because the owner skipped them. Its a safety thing too, keeps your visibility better for people behind you. I'd suggest these items for a solid start:

• Chevrolet Equinox EV Front and Rear Splash Guards
• 3M Scotchgard Paint Protection Film Pro Series for the door edges The splash guards are vital because they're custom-molded for the Equinox frame. Dont bother with the universal ones, they usually just fall off or fit weird. Honestly, if the budget is tight, just get the guards for now. Its the most reliable way to prevent long-term damage without breaking the bank.

Building on the earlier suggestion, mud guards are cool but unfortunately they wont save your paint from the acidic road grime we get here. I had issues with standard waxes failing in weeks... totally not as good as expected. You need a chemical barrier. Grab Turtle Wax Hybrid Solutions Ceramic Spray Coating 16oz instead. TL;DR: Apply a ceramic spray to handle the PNW rain because factory clear coats are honestly pretty fragile nowadays.

I totally get the stress of keeping a new car looking good, especially in Seattle. When I first got mine, I spent way too much time worrying about the charging port during our typical downpours... it can get messy. Being careful about how water pools around the port area is a big deal if you're charging outside. Maybe consider these:

• Get some basic door edge guards from 3M to prevent chips in those narrow city spots.
• Look into a charging port rain cover if you dont have a garage to keep the muck out.
• Think about some better wipers from Bosch since the factory ones usually fail pretty fast in our weather. Honestly, just go with any exterior protection from WeatherTech, you cant go wrong with them. Its way better to spend a little now than deal with paint chips or deep scratches later on. You got this!