So you have your sunglasses, your sun shade, a bottle of ice cold water, and a long stretch of road ahead of you. The plastic bottle glistens – dripping with precipitation that makes you sympathize something fierce. It’s a hot summer in Texas, and believe it or not, August can only get hotter. While some of you are just praying for fall, and the ‘chill’ of 80 degree days, we thought we’d take a second to let you know what you can do now to make sure your hot days aren’t spent roadside kicking your tires.
Here are our Top 5 Summer Car Care Tips.
1. Keep Your Cool
It’s hot outside. That’s not rocket science. So it shouldn’t be a stretch of the imagination that your car’s engine has a higher chance of overheating as temperatures rise outside. Keep an eye on your coolant levels – your car needs to ‘stay hydrated’ to keep things running smoothly – metaphorically speaking.
2. Have Your Car’s AC Unit Inspected
If your car’s air conditioning isn’t working right, you probably already know it. The hot breath of all that is toasty pours from those blistering vents and two things become painfully apparent: the first, that your car cabin is much hotter than it is outside, the second…should probably get that checked. Staying ahead of this phenomenon promises for breezier days!
3. Refresh Your Windshield Wipers
A summer deluge, even in Texas, isn’t a far cry from parking yourself just below Niagara without the always scenic view. From the comfort of your home, thunder and lightning can be pleasant but rolling down the freeway squinting to see through a torrential downpour? Not so much. If you’ve got decent wipers now, Spring is the customary time to make the switch – if not, don’t wait. Bite the bullet and get yourself a new pair! New wipers, full wiper fluid, and that typhoon in Texas will be less cause for concern!
4. Change Your Oil More Frequently
Maps, your favorite snacks, a co-pilot, and a destination all make for great roadtrip material. And summer tends to see more drivers venturing out of their typical driving habits and putting their vehicles to work. More driving means more wear and tear though, not necessarily on the interior, but certainly in the mechanics. Your car’s manual should have a ‘summer schedule’ in the owner’s manual. If you no longer have the manual, feel free to ask one of our technicians for a recommendation given your plans.
5. Tires, Tires… Tires
You may have noticed that your tires’ pressure tend to fluctuate based on temperature changes, and, with the climate so extreme, it’s important to keep an eye on them. If you don’t have a manual gauge, a quick trip to the store can remedy that problem and you’ll be set not only to watch on the onboard monitoring system but also to check for yourself. What is your car, after all, without tires? Don’t wait until you’ve realized you took the exit to get to nowhere fast.
At Mr. Tire, we’re happy to help assure you have happy trails, and nothing but care-free drive time in your future! These tips can be utilized at home, or if you’re unsure, bring your vehicle on in and we’ll get you taken care of.
