5 Things you should do when pulling your car out for Spring since Easter is here and so is the sun and warm weather. Well at least it is on this side of the hemisphere / border and since it is Easter that instantly means two things 1. It’s BBQ, patio and beer drinking season again as we enjoy some playoff hockey and 2. It’s time to get the toys out of their winter hibernation.
So, what should you make part of your Spring time ritual? Well, we have a few suggestions for you…
1. Change the oil. Your vehicle has been sitting in storage all winter long. The acidic deposits that sit in your oil as a result from driving and condensation build up have been eating and breaking down your oil all winter long. Get that old junk out and get some fresh blood into your hot rod. If you need help selecting what kind of oil to use visit our oil comparison charts over in our technical articles section.
2. Check all your fluids. Especially if you have leaks! Fluids often go neglected as far as being checked. Take this time to go through everything- Oil, transmission fluid, brake fluid, coolant, etc. If your differential is due for a fluid change do that now as well. It’s the start of having fun during the warm weather, why not make sure everything is perfect?
3. Check wearable items. Wearable items are parts of your vehicle that have a shelf life and when worn could leave you in a dangerous situation or stranded. Be sure to check the air pressure in your tires as your car has been sitting all winter and a slow leak may have brought them down a few psi. Check for dry rot and cracking on your tire walls. Check your serpentine belt for wear (cracking and breaks). Now would also be a good time to give your vehicle a once over inspection and check your tie-rod, ball joints and sway bar links to make sure they are all in good shape. Nothing would put an end to your spring time fun faster than a snapped tie-rod causing you to lose control of your vehicle.
4. Wash / Wax / Claybar your car. Part of the fun of enjoying the vehicle you put away all winter is to have it turn heads the moment you take it down the street and feel each stroke of the pistons firing through your veins. If you’re looking to get the most shine out of your vehicle when you wax / polish / clay bar it you can follow our how to wax and polish your vehicle guide.
5. Clean up the interior. Pop in that new air freshener, get the vacuum and suck up any dust or left over whatever from last season. Nothing takes away from spring time fun like stained carpets or a car that smells like grandpa’s closet. If you are looking for an opinion on some car care products, we just launched our product review section of our website. Turtle wax a site sponsor was nice enough to send us some products to sample and we’re nice enough to tell our readers what we thought of them. Stay tuned as we’ll be updating our reviews on products we use going forward.
Happy Spring motoring and stay safe this holiday weekend!