Get ready for a new season of driving with a simpler car care experience
Because Winter remains the natural enemy of the automobile, Autumn is the perfect time to prepare a car for the colder months ahead.
But faulty brakes, tire blowouts, electrical problems all contribute to the 5 percent of motor vehicle accidents caused by car repair neglect in the US each year. Most of these problems stem from car maintenance services that drivers avoid handling because the process is expensive and time-consuming.
CarAdvise is a mobile concierge service that delivers consumers a pain-free way of finding a shop, scheduling a service and making a payment right from any mobile phone. From his experience working with shops and car owners, Greg Tapas, CEO and co-founder of CarAdvise, shares these eight Autumn repairs that can easily be scheduled with a car care professional before Fall ends:
- Change out wiper blades – Wipers are used more frequently in the Fall/Winter and they’ll be taking a lot more abuse from road grime and windshield-washer solvent, so it’s best to have a fresh set.
- Inspect steering and suspension – A car care specialist can check your car’s shock absorbers, struts and ball joints to ensure smoother, safer sailing on cool, wet roads.
- Replace dirty oil – If the oil is dirty or you’re at your recommended oil change time, have the shop change the oil. They’ll also check the air filter to ensure that it is clean enough to allow for proper operation.
- Check the exhaust system for leaks and holes in the trunk and floorboards – Your car care professional can check for leaks, cracks or loose clamps in the cooling system and squeeze the hoses and replace any that are spongy-feeling or brittle.
- Test & replace your battery – Many electrical issues and ignition problems stem from loose or corroded battery connection. A car care professional can give this a quick and thorough test to make sure all is well or if you need to make a change.
- Rotate and inflate your tires (including the spare!) – Your car’s tire pressure drops one PSI, or pound per square inch, for every 10-degree drop in temperature. Having this checked monthly may not be a bad idea.
- Replace light bulbs or headlights – It’s important for you to see, as well as be seen, during autumn’s longer and darker nights.
- Check the brakes – Giving the brakes a quick test to make sure they’re working properly is essential to ensure safe driving this Fall.
