Winter is hard on your vehicle. Frigid temps can drain your battery, road salt can worsen rust, and potholes can wreak havoc with your car’s suspension and alignment. That’s why spring is the perfect time to give your vehicle some extra TLC, before summer travel season begins.

Let’s look at a few spring car care tips that can get your vehicle back in top condition.

Wash & Wax
Road salt can do some real damage to your vehicle. Not only can repeated exposure dull your finish, it can accelerate rust in areas where your paint is cracked or chipped. Don’t forget to wash those places where salty mud and slush can create real rust problems—like the wheel wells and undercarriage. A thorough wash will remove that corrosive salty residue, and a wax will help protect your car’s finish.

Oil & Fluids
Your cars fluids take a beating during the winter. Swift or dramatic temperature changes can cause your motor oil to lose viscosity, and your transmission and brake fluids can suffer too. Spring is a great time for an oil change and fluid replacement to ensure safe and efficient operation during the summer vacation season.

Tires and Alignment
Winter’s icy road surfaces, snowdrifts, and potholes are tough on your car’s tires and suspension. Now that warmer temps are here, it’s time to check your shocks and replace old or worn tires with fresh rubber. A tire replacement is the perfect opportunity to get your balance and alignment corrected too. Proper alignment, balance, and tire pressure will help your tires wear more evenly and will help your car perform more efficiently. It may even save you a few bucks at the pump.

Hoses & Belts
Extreme cold or dramatic changes in temperature can make once flexible hoses and belts brittle and more likely to fail. One way to avoid costly breakdowns and roadside assistance is to replace hoses or belts that are dry, brittle, or severely worn. A little prevention now can save you an expensive cure later.

Don’t Forget the Interior
If you use your car daily, it can quickly become a place where trash accumulates. Food wrappers, receipts, and winter gear like scrapers and gloves can pile up and over time create a mess. Spring-cleaning applies to cars as well as homes, and a thorough cleaning and detailing of your vehicle’s interior can make it a more comfortable and inviting place to be.

Wiper Blades
Last but not least, don’t forget to check your wiper blades. Repeated icing and exposure to road salt can weaken the rubber and cause an uneven clearing of water from your windshield, reducing visibility. Wiper blades are inexpensive and you can change them yourself, so there’s no reason to skimp on safety!

We hope these tips will help you have a safe and enjoyable travel season!

About Main Line Transmission: Since 1987, Main Line Transmissions has given drivers in the Wayne, Devon, Berwyn, Paoli, Malvern, Exton West Chester and surrounding areas the best transmission service available. Working only on transmissions of every make or model, our technicians are experts through certification, continual training and years of experience.