In the spring, the weather has turned nicer and we want to get out of hibernation, here are a few spring car care tips to get your vehicle ready to enjoy the warmer weather.

Wash and wax.

If you haven’t done so yet, give your car a good scrub! Winter can be hard on your cars body and paint. All the salt and grime from the winter builds up and let’s be real, who really stays on top of car care when its cold outside! Now is the perfect time to clean all that winter gunk off. Don’t forget to wash the wheel wells out (use a tire brush to clean the gunk out ) and hose off the undercarriage as best as you can. Once you’re done, a good coat of wax will help extend the life of your paint as the brutal hot summer sun approaches.

Clean the inside, Too.

Cleaning the inside won’t make your car run better, but it will make for a nicer environment! Just like the cars body, our cars interiors get neglected in the winter. Clean it out, put some good vinyl/leather treatment on the dash to keep it from cracking. Get rid of all the crud that accumulated in the car over the cold winter months. You’ll feel better driving to work tomorrow!!

Inspect your wiper blades.

The winter ice degrades the wipers rapidly and we all know that spring will bring plenty of rain showers. Don’t wait until you can’t see to replace your wipers. They are cheap and easy to install. If you are having trouble installing them, most of the parts houses that sell them will install them for you at no charge if you ask.

Check alignment and suspension.

Mother Nature can really do some damage to our roads in the winter months. If you’ve encountered may potholes, chances are your car could use an alignment. Remember that alignment issues will wear your tires faster, so keeping it aligned will save you money in the long run. If you feel your vehicle drifting to the left or the right, or if your steering wheel is not centered when you are driving down a flat, straight road than you deferentially need an alignment! Suspension checks are something that you can ask a trusted, experienced mechanic to check for you.

Set your tire pressures.

Temperature changes make your tire pressures fluctuate. Now that the cold has finally left us and temperatures are rising, check your tires and set them to the appropriate pressure (set it to the pressure in the door jamb, not what the sidewall of the tire says) This will improve your fuel mileage and give you longer tire life.

Check under the hood.

If you’re not comfortable, have a mechanic do a basic check, but don’t feel intimidated. Look under the hood for basic problems. If you see belts and hoses that are cracked or frayed, have them replaced immediately before it becomes a problem. Also look for leaks, if you see wet spots on the engine, that’s a sign that something is wrong. A visual inspection can help prevent issues before they become a big problem.

We hope these spring car care tips help!

General car care tips – click here
Spring break car care tips – click here