Getting Your Car Ready For The Summer

Summer has officially arrived and with it, all your carefully laid summer plans.

But before you take your car out of the garage for that 2-hour long drive to the beach, it requires some maintenance and touch-ups. Much like winter, spring also has its own natural phenomenon that can take a toll on your car.

Whether it is minor or major, the slush and the onslaught of rain have an impact on your vehicle. The biggest concern is of potholes that seem to pop up out of nowhere, and damage your rims and suspension.

These potholes are typically caused by residual water inside the roads, left behind by melted ice after winter. You’ll generally find them on roads during spring and summer time. If not bodily injury, they will definitely wear down your car, and misalign your wheels.

This is not the only reason why your car needs some extra care and maintenance – even regular use causes wear and tear which needs to be addressed before a long driver.

To help you prepare your car for the summer fun, and repair any damage done during spring time, we’ve come up with a list of repairs/maintenance that may be needed.

Tire Change

This is the most significant component that needs to be replaced after spring. Worn out tires are hazardous to you, other drivers and pedestrians because they impede your handling of the car, and affect your brakes. If you speed up too much, you can even risk blowing a tire out completely.

When checking your tires, keep a look out for wall bubbles on the sides, and wear bars on the rubber that have become visible. Also, examine your tires for irregular wear and tear.

If you catch any of the above, you need to get your tires changed. If you were previously using winter tires, these also need to be changed as they are designed for use in icy and snowy conditions.

If you’re on a budget, some great all-season tires you can use are the Kumho Solus TA71, Cooper CS3 Touring and GT Radial Champiro VP1. These are brilliant all-season tires offer abrasion resistance, anti-slip features, noise cancellation, and considerable durability along with many more features.

If you’re looking for summer tires, then speed and agility is what you in search of. Some noteworthy summeur tires include Michelin Pilot Sport 4S, Bridgestone Potenza RE-11 and Firestone Firehawk Indy 500.

Windshield Wiper Replacement

It’s safe to say that both seasons prior to summer cause build up on your windshield that require considerable use of wipers. Whether it is snow, hail or rain, chances are that your windshield wipers are worn out by now, and require replacement.

Looking through a dirty windshield as you travel will overburden your eyes causing fatigue, and even a headache. So it’s important to change your wipers, and also have ample amounts of solvent to get the cleaning job done right.

Air Conditioner Testing

No one should hop into their car for a summer road trip without checking its cooling system. It hasn’t been used in a while, and may just require some tinkering.
Turn it on and listen for any odd noises, and check if the air coming out of it is cold. If you hear strange sounds or if the air is warm, you’ll need a professional to look at it.

Functioning Brakes

Winter and spring come with many road dangers like black ice and slush. To avoid these dangers, careful driving is required.

This involves a lot of braking along the way, which in turn can seriously wear down your brakes. Have them checked to make sure that they’re fully operational.

Coolant Check

Take a look at the radiator tank, and make sure that the coolant is full. This can be done through a coolant tester or simply by going to a professional.
If you want to test it yourself, coolant testers can be found at any local auto parts shop.

Oil Change

Your oil and oil filter should be inspected every 3,000 miles or so, especially if your car has carried heavy loads or towed heavy items in the last few months.

An instrument called the oil dipstick should be utilized for this inspection. If the amber shade reaches the fill mark, then your oil is full. If it is below that, then you should pour oil into it till it reaches the fill mark. If the dipstick is encased in a grimy coating, then you should change your oil immediately.

Normal oil typically last for around 5,000 miles, and the synthetic variant should last for around 7,000 miles. These results may vary depending on the climate, and use of the vehicle.

Car Wash

Your car must be covered in slush and rainwater after spring. Even if you’re someone who washes their car regularly, a superficial wash won’t cut it for the kind of dirt and debris that must be present inside your car, and also under the carriage.

Wash your car down top to bottom, and don’t forget to thoroughly clean out the wheel wells.

Emergencies

The last bit doesn’t have to do with repair and maintenance, but it’s something we can easily overlook. When you’re out on the road, unpredictable circumstances can always occur – so it’s important to ensure that you have all of the basic tools necessary to fix a tire, or call for help. For example, you should always have a first aid kit, a spare tire, a flashlight, and flare gun stored safely in your trunk.

If you’re at the end of this list, and you’ve covered all of these points, then consider your car fully prepared for an adventurous summer.