05.25.16 - Winter Road

Come Out of Winter Like a Champ

There is no doubt that winter is one of the worst seasons for any vehicle. If you live in an area where there is a long stretch of ice and snow along with dark and gloomy days you certainly look forward to the spring and summer months with sunshine and colorful flowers, but is your car ready for the warmer months. The toll winter can have on your car and be compounded in the spring if you don’t take some precautions, but there are some ways you can ensure your car is ready for these warmer months and it will be ready to give you the best performance you can ask for from you ride.

Fluids – It’s a great idea to make sure everything under the hood is fresh and ready to go. Check all the fluids and make sure you have the right levels and consistency. This means you need to look at the oil, the coolant, the brake fluid, power steering fluid, automatic transmission fluid and even the windshield wiper fluid. With this last one you might want to add a formula that helps to clear bugs from your windshield as spring brings out the new bugs that just love to make their death on your front glass.

Tires – Temperature changes can change the pressure of your tires and you need to make sure yours are properly inflated. This is a good idea during all seasons as making sure your tires are properly inflated helps to improve the fuel mileage of your vehicle which can help you save money just by ensuring you have the right amount of air in your tires. If you have a set of summer tires that you need to put on your car when these warmer months come to be you certainly want to check them before putting them on your car.

Salt – Even though salt is the most effective way to treat the roads to ensure improved traction and help keep ice off the roads it can be detrimental to your vehicle’s paint and underbody. This can even enter your vehicle and become salt stains on your carpets but this can be taken care of with a salt remover that helps to clean up your car. When you consider taking care of the salt on the outside of the vehicle don’t forget to do the same for the interior to ensure your vehicle will have a clean and attractive interior when the warmer months approach.

Climate System – Now is the time to have your air conditioning system checked out and recharged if needed. This will ensure you can have a comfortable vehicle all year long and not deal with the scorching heat that comes with the summer months at times. Let the professionals take care of this for you and make it a priority to invest in this service annually to ensure you have a continually working climate control system that is ready to keep you cool when the heat outside becomes unbearable.

Visibility – Now is a great time to ensure your windshield, and all other windows are clean and free from dirt and debris. This means performing a complete cleaning inside and out to ensure the windows are clear and easy to see out of when you’re driving. Now is also the time to put a new set of wiper blades on, especially in areas where spring can be muddy and offer lots of rain. Your ability to see is directly proportionate to the chances of you surviving a crash or being able to come home safe and is one area of driving you have a lot of control over.

Headlights – Your headlights probably appear to have a fog over them at all times after the winter months. It’s a good idea to use a cleaner that will remove this film from the lens of the headlights and make sure you can see the bulbs once again. Once this is completed you can also check to see how bright the lights seem to be. Do you need to see better and have cleaned off the headlights? Change the bulbs and let them shine bright for you to show you the way ahead.

Wash – All the other parts of your car have been cleaned off, it’s time to take your ride through the car wash and let it enjoy the comfort of enjoying a bath. If you don’t like to go through a car wash but would rather do this job yourself, make sure you are prepared for a thorough job. You want to spray and clean the underside of your vehicle along with making sure you have plenty of rags to get the job done. Do one panel at a time and do a good job so you can be proud of the car you drive and get the winter yuck off the car.

Shine it Up – Be proud of your car and treat it to a wax after the wash. You can buff in the wax with specially made waxing discs that can attach to a buffer and get out most of the scratches that can develop over the winter months. This will let you have a vehicle that is even cleaner and ready for you to admire and enjoy on any road. You will show off, no matter what you drive, when you take the time to prepare your car for the warm months ahead where you can cruise around ready to enjoy the spring and summer sunshine.

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