No matter how reinforced and sturdy your car looks right now, everybody universally agrees that the harsh weather conditions of the winter season can be quite the tough adversary, even for the most experienced car enthusiasts. Plus, even if you’ve covered all your bases, there’s always the off-chance something goes horribly wrong when you least expect it, that you end up making a trip to the auto shop for immediate repairs and preventing further damage.
However, with the wintertime almost past us and in a couple of weeks we’ll be entering spring, the same car maintenance procedures and standards you did for the cold, harsh climate won’t be as effective nor productive. And to help save costs and appropriately prepare your vehicle for the springtime, we recommend putting in the work right now during the tail end of the season to save you the time, money, and trouble much later.
Switch Back to An All-Season Appeal
Your car’s been through a lot this winter, and unless it’s been sitting inside the garage for the past few months, it’s most likely decked out with your common winter protection upgrades like swapping your tires and maximizing visibility with fog lights. But, since all the snow build-up will gradually decrease as we head into March and as snow squalls become less common, it’s about time you replace your tires with something better for all seasons and check on your fluids as well.
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Replace Your Winter Tires
Although current weather forecasts expect the arctic blast to stay for spring, sticking with your winter tires well past the harshest point of snowfall can get quite costly in the long run. You see, these tires are a lot more expensive on average, so you’ll definitely need to replace them sometime soon to keep them for when winter comes back later in the year. Plus, knowing where you’ll store it as early as now can save you from buying new ones.
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Double-Check On Your Fluids
While you may have stocked up extra during the start of winter for your oil, transmission fluid, and windshield wiper fluids, you’ll be surprised at how fast these deplete over regular car use during snowtime. And as a general rule of thumb, it never hurts to double-check on your fluids right as the season changes to know how much you’ll need and what else needs topping up. Furthermore, it’s just great practice for longer engine life.
Brace For More Frequent Rains and Weather Changes
Most people associate spring with the blossoming of flowers and cleaning up around their house, but only a few ever notice that it’s the season of some of the most volatile weather changes and very frequent rains. So, while you may not necessarily need winter equipment for the climate ahead, the uncertainty of weather and how fast it can switch from one thing to the next can be troublesome to deal with when driving out.
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Consider Replacing Your Car Wrap
For starters, if your car wrap is starting to show its age or maybe you don’t have one at all, we suggest you consider installing one now, right before we welcome spring with open arms. Car wraps are great for their durability and ease of maintenance, all at a fraction of the cost of your standard fresh paint job. And if you’re thinking of buying a new Ram truck, vinyl wraps are excellent for preserving value too.
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Find Quality Splash Guards/ Mud Flaps
With rain comes puddles, and these small reservoirs of rainwater can be extremely proficient at hiding small rocks and debris that end up ricocheting onto your car. And no matter how defensive you think you drive, you can only do so much until you go over that one unlucky puddle. As a result, finding quality splash guards or sourcing mud flaps from your local shop will save you from a hundred unsightly scratches and dents.
Go Over The Basic Maintenance As Well
Last but not least, we can’t forget about going over basic maintenance as well because they’re equally as important in terms of keeping your car in good condition and costing you close to nothing out of pocket in the grand scheme of things. Specifically, find out if your (1) headlights need a bit of defogging and (2) take a trip to your local carwash to get rid of any dirt, grime, and salt from the undercarriage.
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Defog Your Headlights ASAP
Everybody wishes their headlights were as robust as the brand new 2022 Ford Bronco Everglades model, but since that’s not arriving until summer, giving your current headlights a bit of TLC will do you just fine. Often, you can get defogging kits off the shelves pretty easily, but if you prefer to DIY, there are plenty of guides online.
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Take It Through A Good Carwash
You’ll be surprised at all the nooks and crannies dirt, and grime can get into over the course of winter, and that’s not even mentioning some of the road salt that clings onto your undercarriage. So, instead of doing everything yourself and risking missing a spot, going to a professional carwash will save you time and effort.
In conclusion, there’s plenty you can do right now during the transitionary period between winter and spring to prepare your car. So instead of waiting for the last minute, we recommend going over the car maintenance tips above once again and picking out which ones you think you need the most as soon as possible.
