Friday, May 3, 2013

10 Ways to Get Your Car Ready for Summer

You know it’s close to summertime when every convertible owner and motorcycle rider comes out to dominate the roads.

Hopefully by summer, everyone has checked out their car for weird noises, fixed the tires, upgraded their rides, and fully made sure they don't get stuck on a road trip.

There are tons of tiny things to take care of if you plan on hitting the road a lot this summer, on top of making sure you budget and plan correctly.

Car and motorcycle enthusiasts are a passionate bunch that put their rides as a tip priority. If you want to stand out among the other cars, here are a few things to keep in mind.

1.) Wash Your Car


This is the first, most important step to getting your car “summerized.” Make sure your car is clean, spotless, washed, and waxed.

Nothing says that your car is ready for summer like a clean body, but prepare to clean it more if you live in an area with a big bug population.

2.) Get The Right Tires


If you have special tires you use for winter weather or snow, you should probably already have them off by now; but if you don’t it’s time to take those puppies off.

If you keep those tires on through the summer it won’t hurt your car, but you’d destroy the tires as they’re designed for cold weather. Their condition will deplete rapidly in heat.

3.) Check Your A/C.


If you don’t have the ability or know-how to check your A/C, now would be a great time to do so.

There is nothing is worse than being stuck in traffic and having to rely on leaving your windows open because, lets be honest, that never cuts it when the temperature is above 90 degrees.


4.) Check your fluids



While this is something you should be doing regardless of the weather, it helps to take a good look at your car vitals.

In the summertime, oil thins and it helps to make sure your oil is at a prime level before driving it. Also make sure to check your wiper fluid, coolant, and even your gasoline if you don’t drive the car much.

5.) Windshield Wipers


If you haven’t changed them recently, there’s no better time than in the summer.

If you find yourself driving a lot at night or early mornings than you've probably come across a hefty amount of bugs on your windshield.

Old windshield wipers will have a much harder time cleaning off our dead insect friends.


6.) Towing



If you frequent a lake or tow a boat on weekends, you should make sure that if you left your hitch in over the winter that it still works and nothing came loose or broke.

Never assume that just because you haven’t used something recently that it’s the same way you left it.

Check the hitch, the ball, and the tongue and make sure everything is perfect for towing.

7.) Keep An Emergency Kit


In the hotter months, it’s not uncommon for older cars and even some newer cars to break down from overheating.

You don’t want to be caught on the side of the road waiting for help with no way of being able to protect yourself.

Make sure you have plenty of water, flares, a flashlight, basic tools (screwdrivers and wrenches), a first aid kit, and anything else you may need if you’re stranded.


8.) Check The Battery



Make sure your battery is clean and doesn't have any acid coming out of your connectors.

If your battery is clean, your battery will last longer. Again, if you haven’t replaced your battery in a while, it might not be a bad idea to think about a replacement.


9.) Check Your Brakes



If you happen to live in an area where summer brings storms, it would behoove you to have brakes in tip top shape and not to take any chances.

The last thing you want in the summer heat is to have to take public transportation because your car got totaled. In general, heat affects your brakes’ performance and can wear them down more quickly.


10.) Check Your Lights



Last but not least, always make sure your headlamps are ready for those warm summer night drives.

Warm weather means that animals are more likely to be wandering the roads and without good headlights it could be impossible to see them.

Make sure all of your lights are ready for those night drives.

Taking these preventative measures will insure that your car is in tip top shape for the summer.

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