How to Prepare Your Car for the Upcoming Spring Season
Say what you will about the beauty of a good snowfall, but one there’s at least one thing that isn’t up for debate: driving during the winter is almost always an awful experience. Thankfully, with spring right around the corner, you’ll soon be able to drive much more easily. However, while you might be ready for spring… is your car? These tips will have you riding with the windows down.
Clean It – Outside and In
The winter weather makes it nearly impossible to give your car a proper clean, much less keep it clean for months on end. Chances are that you’ll want to focus on the exterior of your car, which has probably seen some action this winter. Take care of salt stains with a proper wash, and if you so desire, a wax as well. Don’t forget to get the tires, too! When it comes to the interior of your car, you might think that simply throwing away all the accumulated trash will suffice, but if you really want to feel refreshed in time for spring, take a vacuum to it. You won’t regret it.
Top Off Your Fluids
Cars rely on fluids to run properly – and not just gasoline. As a car owner, you know full well that you have to keep your car topped up on all its essential fluids to keep it running well. However, there’s a difference between knowing something and actually doing it. If it’s been a little while since you’ve checked your oil, power steering, air conditioning coolant, and what have you, now is the time to do it. While you mustn’t skip over the essential fluids, you’ll also want to check the “nonessential” fluids, like windshield wiper fluid. And don’t forget that this is something you should be doing every few months, not every few seasons.
Check Your Tires
The changing of seasons–and subsequently, of the weather–has a big effect on the health of your tires. Because air pressure increases and decreases with the changing temperatures, it’s imperative that you make sure your car’s tires are properly inflated. Often, your car’s owner manual will give you recommended tire pressures for both warm and cold weather, so make sure your tires are inflated to whatever those recommendations may be. Also look out for excessive wear and tear; perform the “penny test” to see how far worn your treads are and decide whether you’ll need a new set of wheels.
Get It Checked Out
It’s easy to put things off, and it’s even easier during wintertime. If there’s anything that’s been bugging you, what better time than now to get them checked out? Maybe you’ve got a pesky check engine light bugging you every time you start your car up. Perhaps you’ve noticed a slight thumping when you’re driving down the highway. No matter what it may be, it’s never fun taking your car into the mechanic, but it’s always better now than when you’re stuck on the side of the road with a car problem.