National Car Care Month comes around twice a year, every October and April. These months bring attention to the importance of regular preventative car maintenance and care during times when it’s most critical to do so.
WHY APRIL?
In April, as winter comes to an end, it is time to get your car ready for spring driving and summer road trips! It is important to make sure your tires, brakes, and windshield wipers are ready for the rain, and take care of any issues that may have occurred or been ignored during winter.
You might not have traveled as much during the winter, so getting a tune-up is important to ensure your vehicle is safe to operate. This year might be more important than ever to get your vehicle in great shape during the month of April. My Mechanic’s highly trained ASE Certified mechanics are the best choice to catch up on those maintenance checks and get your vehicle in the best possible shape.
PREPARE YOUR VEHICLE FOR A SAFE SPRING AND SUMMER
Whether it’s getting a fresh oil change or replacing worn tires, get your vehicle fixed up now so you’re ready to go for the summer. Nothing derails a fun road trip like a roadside breakdown, and being proactive now can lower the chances of that happening. Driving with confidence is important to keep your family safe as you take your many adventures this spring and summer. Don’t wait until an issue comes up to get it fixed. Be proactive during National Car Care Awareness Month and you’ll be set for the spring and summer road trips.
YOUR CAR CARE CHECKLIST
Refill your windshield wiper fluid. It’s probably low from using it up during the winter. If you need to buy some, get two jugs if you can. It’s always easier to have it on hand to refill the tank effortlessly.
Check your wipers and replace them if needed. Winter can be hard on them with all the ice and scraping that can beat them up. Clear vision is important to everyone when you are driving, so inspecting your front, and rear if you have one, wipers are one important step.
Repair your windshield. if you were the unfortunate recipient of a rock coming at you this winter, get it repaired before it turns into something larger. If you’ve got bigger cracks across your field of vision, it needs to be replaced. Driving with a cracked windshield is both dangerous and illegal (in many states) but it’s covered under most comprehensive insurance plans.
Change the Oil: Your engine needs oil to prevent wear and avoid performance issues, so have your oil checked and changed. It’s recommended that most vehicles get their oil changed every 5,000 – 7,000 miles.
Flush the Cooling System: Do this at least once a year to prevent corrosion and deposits from building up inside the cooling system.
Change the Transmission Oil: Your transmission is one of your car’s most complex parts. Fluids need to be changed at regular service intervals to avoid expensive repairs.
Keep it Lubricated: Your car lives and dies by its moving parts, and they need plenty of grease to survive. Schedule a tune-up to help the engine deliver the best balance of power and fuel economy and produce the lowest level of emissions.
Replace the Cabin Filter: If you can’t remember when you last replaced the cabin filter or if it’s been more than months, you should replace this filter to ensure that the air conditioning in your vehicle can work at its optimum. The cabin filter prevents dust and allergens from reaching the inside of the vehicle, keeping you and your passengers more comfortable and the car cleaner.
Inspect the Wheel Bearings: You probably don’t want to do this yourself, set up an appointment with My Mechanic to check it out for you.
Inspect the Braking System: Your brakes’ rotors, linings, and drums should be inspected along with every oil change your car receives. Brake fluid attracts moisture, which causes corrosion. That’s one reason you need to replace the fluid and bleed the system once a year.
Wash and Wax the Exterior: Everything from mud to winter salt can damage the body and get stuck to the underside. If you use an anti-rust coating on the undercarriage, spring is the best time to renew it, since the warmer weather is when rust is most active.
Park in the Shade: UV rays dry out plastics and vinyl upholstery, so leaving your car in the sun can really make the interior feel old and look worn in no time flat.
Tools to Help You be Car Care Aware
A well-maintained car keeps you and everyone around you safe and will end up saving you a pretty penny on costs like towing, repairs, and accident-related costs. A routine maintenance program also makes financial sense, extending useful vehicle life and helping avoid costly repairs down the road.
Also, if your vehicle will soon be ready for an emission inspection, this would be the perfect time to do a tune-up and oil change. Check out our website for discount savings on these much-needed services.
The pros at My Mechanic will be happy to give your vehicle a springtime inspection so you can feel confident driving, whether it’s just another trip to work or a trip across the country.
Call our friendly staff for an appointment today, you’ll be glad you did.
