The changing of the seasons can put a lot of stress on your vehicle. After a long winter, every car needs some maintenance, whether it’s basic or more thorough. However, you can take care of pretty much any car maintenance on your own – from oil changes to replacing parts.
Spring car maintenance involves looking out for particular issues that tend to pop up this time of year. Winter can lead to damage, from rust as a result of road salt to dents and broken lights resulting from accidents on slippery roads. You can maintain your car yourself by sourcing replacement parts for anything winter-damaged from an auto salvage yard. With that in mind, here are some tips for maintaining your car this spring.
Check All Fluids
Cold temperatures are hard on the fluids in your car. Even fluids that don’t freeze, like oil, can congeal and clog up your engine. Check and potentially replace all the fluids in your car. This includes: Oil Water Windshield wiper fluid Antifreeze Oil is particularly important to check. In particularly cold climates, it’s common to change out engine oil in the fall for something designed for lower temperatures. In the summer months, this oil will not work as well, and you may notice engine problems. Changing it back will make sure you’re covered all year round.
Clean Interior
You’ve probably tracked lots of winter debris into your car over the cold months. Salt, sand, mud, and snow all stick to shoes and cover the inside of your car. Plus, if you’ve had a cold at all over the winter, those germs may still be lingering in your vehicle. To get rid of all that junk, give the inside of your car a thorough wipe-down. Take out the floor rugs and shake them out. If they’re particularly bad, you can use carpet shampoo to remove ground-in mud and salt. Vacuum the floors and seats. Your car will remain much nicer to drive for longer if you take care of it annually.
Wash and Wax
The outside of your car is likely just as dirty as the inside, if not more. Road salt is one of the biggest causes of rust on most cars. This is amplified by the little nicks and scratches your paint job can accumulate from driving on roads covered in salt pellets. Give your car a thorough spring wash and wax to clean off the grime and salt, and it will stay nicer for longer.
Check Tire Pressure
Tires lose pressure in cold temperatures. Cold air is denser than warm air, so it doesn’t inflate your tires as efficiently. In the spring, check your tire pressure to see whether you need to add more air. Underinflated tires are bad for your gas mileage, so you’re losing money if you don’t check.
Replace Damaged Parts from Winter Driving
Did road salt scratch your windshield? Did someone slide into your bumper on black ice? Are your windshield wipers totaled after fighting winter precipitation? Replace these damaged parts as a part of routine spring maintenance. It doesn’t have to be expensive. Just be smart about sourcing your parts – an auto salvage yard is a perfect supplier for most cars. If you are local to Wareham, MA, Robertson’s Auto Salvage will have the parts you need to make your repairs. With us, you don’t have to worry about markups. You can keep your car looking good as new without paying the price tag of actually new parts. Give us a call today so we can get you what you need this spring! 800-551-2680