Winter is finally over. Your seasonal depression is finally coming to an end. The winter may have been mild but holy &$%* was it ever gloomy. Your sad face is starting to be replaced by an occasional smile when the sun is shining and you’ve officially survived March break! That deserves a round of applause. But… not only do you deserve one, your car deserves one too. It endured the frigidness, frost, ice, two snow falls, and screaming children right there alongside you.
We spoke with your car and here’s the terms and conditions it gave us to make your summer bucket list possible:
Please (for Pete’s sake) clean me
Your car just endured what we call the “Winter Abuse”. There’s probably kids snacks in crevasses you didn’t even know existed. Salty weather mats. Empty Timmies cups. Wrappers. Toys. And 763 reusable grocery bags. Unless you’re one of those people who has your entire life wrapped in a bow, you can probably relate. And congratulations, that means you’re human (I mean, who on earth cleans their car in the winter, am I right?)
Give it a good clean. Send your kids off to Grandma’s for the day. Go grab yourself a coffee, pick up a fresh bottle of Armor All, grab a peach scented air freshener while you’re there, and make a day of this. Self care for your vehicle is also self care for you. Make sure to spend some extra time on the windows, cleaning both sides! And don’t forget your trunk mat like I did when I gave my car it’s desperately needed spring clean.
April Showers bring… dirty wiper blades.
An often overlooked area of the vehicle is one of the most important parts: your wiper blades. They play a key role in your vision during snowfall and rainfall. They’ve built up chemicals from washer fluid and debris from snow, dirt, and lots of use over the winter. Give them a good clean so they can happily get the rain out of your eyes while we’re in shower season.
Fluid change & fresh kicks please!
If you had your car serviced before the winter kicked in, you should be on perfect pace for your next service. When bringing your vehicle in for its tire change, grab a fluid change as well! You know how you love a chilly glass of rosé after a long day? Your car would love a fresh drink of oil after a long winter. When you bring your vehicle to The Auto Guys, we also do a quick inspection while it’s on the hoist to make sure everything’s looking good for your next 3 or so months away from us!
Don’t forget about my spare tire…
This is something very often overlooked by many drivers. Check the pressure of the tire hanging out in the back to make sure that a road-side change won’t leave you in danger. Tire air pressure fluctuates with the up and down temperature changes and this is a tire that’s supposed to get you out of a jam, not put you in one. And we’re happy to say that your spare tire does not need premium air like your other 4 tires do. So really, you’re already at a cost savings!
Preparing for ride programs…
We know you’d pass the roadside line test because you don’t drink and drive, but your car isn’t feeling as confident. This is the perfect time to bring your vehicle in for a proper wheel alignment. Winter roads get rough and we do live in Pot-Hole city after all. It’s easy for things to fall out of line and become a little wonky. This is something you can tag on when you’re bringing your vehicle in for its summer tire switch so both you and your vehicle can happily say “No officer, we have not been drinking tonight.”
And just like that, you have a happy vehicle who isn’t going to attempt to sabotage you during the epic summer you have planned. A clean vehicle is a happy vehicle, and happy cars go far! We’ve been making cars happy & service friendly since… well, a very long time. Book your April Car Maintenance by calling us here. We’ll see you back at the blog in a few weeks for Vol. 3!