Get Your Car Spring Break Ready
Friday, March 5th, 2010 | posted by: Kristen
Spring cleaning has never given me goosebumps. In fact, I dread it. Putting the wool sweaters in the back of the closet is mildly exciting, but stirring up all of winter’s dust and grime at the same time is not something I look forward to.
Like most folks I get cabin fever when the first twinges of Spring come along, and the first thing I think about is getting out of the house, not cleaning it. Picnics in the park, day trips to the beach, just driving around with the windows down can feel like Spring Break when you’ve been cooped up for months on end.
So ditch the dust cloths and grab your car-washing mitt because the first thing you’ll want to do is make sure you have a well-cleaned, well-tuned car, so that your spring and summer will be nothing but fun, fun, fun, ’til your daddy takes the T-bird away.
Of course, you could always drop your car off at the garage for a tune-up and swing by the car wash center to have someone detail it for you. OR you can do all of this yourself, save some money and take pride in your vehicle maintenance skills.
First things first, grab some soap– you’ll want the kind that has been specially formulated for cars so that you do not damage your paint with harsh chemicals. I know you’re tempted, but stay away from the Dawn and put down that sea sponge. A few car sources on the web are quick to point out the sea sponges contain sand, and you certainly don’t want to be scrubbing your car down with grit.
Other car washing tips: wash the bottom first, where it’s dirtiest, and then wash the top. And take the spray nozzle off your hose. By allowing the water to sheet, you’ll get better drying results.
Now we’re moving on to a little more unfamiliar territory, the real DIY portion of the article.
Sparkplugs
Windshield Wipers
Oil Change
Tire Pressure
Changing your spark plugs is definitely a do-it-yourself job. Grab a book at the library, or check out YouTube.com for some tips on how this is done. If you can drive a car, you can replace a spark plug. No heavy lifting required!
Windshield Wipers need to be replaced twice a year. With April showers, you’ll want to take care of this before you’re heading down the Interstate wondering where that cloud came from. Visit the auto supply shop with your vehicle model and year, and you will easily be able to find which wipers you need.
An Oil Change is well within your capabilities too. Before you start, find a place that accepts recycled oil so that you don’t have a fire hazard hanging out in your yard when you’re at a loss at what to do with the gunk. You’ll thank me later and your neighbors will too.
Tire pressure is another one of those things that you can handle. Purchase a tire gauge and keep it in your glove box. Add some more air if necessary, and guess what, you just improved the handling of your car and probably saved yourself a few bucks on gas to boot!
Not you’re ready… Get your motor runnin’, head out on the highway… and don’t forget to buckle up!
