Tips For Preparing Your Car For Summer Ride


Spring is the perfect time to get your car ready for the busy summer driving season ahead. It's advisable to have your vehicle inspected before summer's intense vacation traffic and stop-and-go situation begin earnestly.

The professionals at the nonprofit National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence recommend the following tips on preparing your car:

* Read the owner's guide and follow the suggested service schedules. Be careful on "regular" vs. "severe" schedules listed, and find out which is suitable for your driving conditions and practice.

* Look for a methodical repair facility with current equipment in the service bays and qualified automotive technicians being workers, as shown by trade school diplomas, certificates of advanced course work and training, and national certification of the individual technicians by ASE.

* Cleanse and refill the cooling system (radiator) as indicated in the service manual's recommendations. The level, form and intensity of the coolant should be checked at regular intervals. Make sure the engine has cooled down before taking off the radiator cap. Engine overheating is the most frequent summer breakdown.

* Have engine performance problems corrected, such as hard starts, tough idling and stalling. You'll get improved gasoline mileage, and you could prevent more expensive repairs.

* Don't overlook your transmission and brakes. Expensive repairs can be prevented by regular service. Neglected brakes can create safety issues, too.

* Seek out a qualified auto technician to check the condition of belts, clamps and hoses, but be preventive by looking for signs of wear, cracking or fraying.

* Have a marginally operating air conditioner system serviced by a technician qualified to deal with refrigerants. Older units often contain ozone-depleting chemicals that could be released into the air because of irregular or incompetent service.

* Replace the oil and oil filter as detailed in the owner's manual. This easy, inexpensive service can add to the life of your vehicle.

* Replace other filters (air, fuel, PCV) as suggested in the service manual.

* Inspect the condition of tires, including the spare. Let the tires "cool down" prior to checking their pressure. Uneven wear, "cupping", vibrations or "pulling" to one side indicates troubles with your tires or suspension system.

* Change your headlights with some good quality aftermarket headlights. Good custom headlights or even just a nice new series of H11 bulbs for your normal lights will make a vast difference when you're traveling at night. Hardly ever do you realize how dim your headlights are until you upgrade. Chances are the winter road grim has spoiled your lenses to the point where they really need to be replaced.

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