How to Prepare Your Car for Every Season
Your car is your freedom. It gives you the means to go where you need when you want, but it also requires ongoing maintenance and preparation to perform its absolute finest. From the winter to the summer, there are many tasks you need to complete around the year to ensure that your vehicle runs smoothly and safely, and this guide is going to take you through them:
How to Be Prepared in All Situations
There are two types of preparation that you need to adopt when it comes to proper car maintenance. The first is preventative preparations that involve a better maintenance routine. The second is having emergency funds or at the very least a set plan on how to cover large auto repair costs. While your insurance or warranty may cover some auto repair costs, it may not cover all of them, and you may find it’s necessary to dip into your savings or apply for auto repair loans instead. To be prepared in all situations, you need to:
- Know the full maintenance schedule for your vehicle
- Have an emergency fund plan in place for larger repair costs
How to Prepare Your Car for Fall and Winter
To avoid heavy costs, maintenance is key, and your main priority should be in fall and winter when roads get wetter, and you may be driving in freezing or snowing conditions. Winterizing your car should start with a service from your local mechanic. You may also want to change your tires to winter tires, look into snow chains if you live in an area with poorly maintained roads, also stock up on your winter kit. Your mechanic should do all due diligence, from checking the battery health to refilling the coolant and windshield washer fluid.
On top of winterizing your vehicle, you might also want to practice defensive driving, check the weather every time you go out, and never fill your gas tank full, as this reduces the risk of condensation and your lines freezing.
How to Prepare Your Car for Spring and Summer
Getting your vehicle ready for spring and summer should once again include a visit to the mechanic and switching out to summer or all-season tires. Coolant is very important during the summer months, but for different reasons than during the winter. It’s also a good idea to make sure that your air conditioning is working as that is also important.
To ensure that there isn’t any winter damage, now is a good time to deep clean your vehicle as well, paying particular attention to the undercarriage of your car.
You might want a full service on your vehicle in preparation for summer because hot temperatures are just as much, if not harder on your vehicle than the cold. From your battery to your oil, checking, replacing, and refilling at least twice a year is the optimal way to keep your vehicle responsive and in good condition throughout the year.