Putting the time into maintaining your car is essential if you want to avoid problems throughout the year. Ensuring that your car stays in the best possible condition means being able to make ongoing checks, while focusing on covering some important areas for Spring, Summer, and Winter. Adjustments for warmer weather and extended driving in the summer can be compared here to the need to take ice and extreme weather conditions into account for the winter. Following these maintenance tips from used kia rio cars for Sale can help to save you money on breakdown and insurance costs over time.
Spring and Summer Tips
The Spring and Summer months are generally about maintaining your car to ensure that it’s kept clean, well filtered, properly air conditioned, and protected from sun damage. Cars should also be serviced, and should receive an engine check before long drives abroad. Some key things to look out for include:
Tyre Treads
Make sure that you have checked that you have enough tread on your tyres, and that you switch out any winter tyres that might not be practical for driving in cooler conditions.
Spring Cleaning
Many people don’t realise that they can save money on their mileage, and increase the safety of their car, by cleaning out items built up over the Winter. A boot can be emptied, and only the most important items kept, while any roof and bicycle racks that aren’t necessary to a trip can also be removed.
Check Your Battery and Engine
Remember to check for engine lubrication and battery charge in the Spring, and particularly if you’re planning on some heavy duty driving during the winter. Ensure that radiator fluid levels and coolant are properly maintained, and consider going for a service to ensure that you don’t need an oil change.
Avoid Sun Damage
Cover up your car from direct sunlight during the hottest times of the year, which can be achieved by using a tarp if you don’t have a garage. Moreover, clean out dust and check your car’s body for scratches and rust from driving in the heat. Waxing your car and keeping it clean will also reduce paint fading problems.
Winter Care
During the Winter, you should focus on making sure that your car is properly maintained for avoiding accidents on slippery roads, and that the threat of extreme cold and ice is met. With this in mind, you should:
Check Antifreeze Levels
Make sure that your antifreeze and coolant levels are maintained at moderate to high levels, and consider flushing out a radiator and replacing its fluids if the car hasn’t had a service for a long time. It’s also worth checking fluid levels for windshield wipers.
Lubricate Engines
Ensure that an engine is kept well lubricated, and that you give it time to warm up in the morning by running it idly on cold days.
Switch to Winter Tyres
Switching to winter tyres is a good idea if there are predictions of snow and ice, as they can provide much better grip on slippery surfaces.
General Maintenance
Regular checks of your car’s engine and body throughout the year will alert you to any problems that might become more serious. These checks should be conducted around an MOT. Particularly look at oil levels, any engine leaks, and at rust and corrosion on the underside of a car’s body. Moreover, make sure that you have an emergency kit in your car for jump starting, removing excessive ice, and for replacing tyres.
