Everyone loves a good summer vacation, and there’s nothing quite like making memories on the road with your loved ones. With all the time, energy, and care you put into planning your perfect destination itinerary, packing all your important items, and making sure everyone’s comfy, it’s easy to forget upkeep on your vehicle, but it’s just as vital as the rest of your trip planning. Check out our handy guide for great tips and tricks to keep an eye on to ensure that your trip goes off without a hitch! And if you need a little assistance, you can always call our maintenance and service department for an appointment and we’ll be glad to help.
Check Tire Air Pressure and Rotate Tires
After several day-trips or even a lengthy drive to your vacation destination, your car tires are going to have seen their fair share of wear-and-tear. Check the tread depth for signs of wear or uneven tread; replace or patch any damaged tires. Check the tire pressure before you depart on your next adventure, and especially with any 10 degree temperature change outside. Inflate them to the recommended PSI from the manufacturer’s guidelines. Make sure you bring your car in for a wheel alignment check and have the tires rotated to ensure even wear.
Top off Fluids
While it’s important to keep your car’s fluids in check on the regular and with each seasonal maintenance, it’s imperative that during the summer months you especially keep an eye on your Coolant and motor oil levels. An increase in summer travel along with high-heat can mean these fluids are depleted quicker than average, and the last thing you want is to be stranded on the highway with a seized engine. Make sure that you have Antifreeze/Coolant topped off as well as the appropriate oil before you leave on a long trip.
Change Oil and filter
Each vehicle make/model will differ in mileage requirements for oil changes, but most are between 3,000 and 6,000 miles between an oil change service. Be sure that you bring your car in at the appropriate mileage markers especially if you’ve been making frequent drives or a long journey. It will ensure your vehicle runs more efficiently in hot weather, reducing the chance of a seized engine or fuel inefficiency.
Clean and/or replace air filter
Summer heat means running the AC frequently, and that can lead to a need to replace your air filter in just one or two months as opposed to the usual 3. Make sure you’re regularly checking the filter and cleaning it as needed, or replacing it earlier if you’ve been doing a lot of driving this summer. It will ensure that your AC runs properly and can consistently cool your vehicle.
Park your car in the shade
Finding the shadiest spot in the lot during summer has quite a lot of benefits for your vehicle. The most obvious benefit of a shady spot is keeping the interior cool, making it more comfortable for you to drive later and preventing damage to the car’s leather or fabric surfaces. If you can’t find a shady spot, you can add a window shade or a sunshield to the windshield and prevent UV light from warming your car as quickly. Shaded parking over the long term can also help protect the longevity of your car’s paint and protective clear coat, which can be damaged over time by long exposure to direct sunlight. Using a fabric car cover for prolonged storage or lengthy parking times such as a few days can help keep paint safe.
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