Get Your Car Spring Ready!
Posted on May 5, 2021
Spring is here. Nothing beats stepping out of your house, breathing in that sweet, fresh spring air, and saying, ‘finally!’ Time to get your car spring ready now.
Winters in Canada are long, cold, and dark. Everyone knows that Canadians are a hearty bunch but even for us the change in the season is cause to rejoice. Time to soak in a bit of sun, hit the open road packed with supplies, and see a bit of what this fantastic country has to offer.
But wait!
Before you fill the cooler and hit the highway, give your car a bit of the hard-earned respect that it deserves. Regular car maintenance is important but it always comes back into the spotlight when the cold of winter begins to give way,
Winter isn’t just tough on us. Our vehicles take a punishing during the harsh, cold winter months. Road salt, sub-zero temperatures, increased moisture, and debris on the winter roads all chip away at your vehicles’ safety, appearance, and general working order.
Don’t worry! Not all is lost. Your trusty steed is beaten but far from defeated. Welcome to one more entry into our ongoing list of car maintenance tips. This is the CarHub guide to getting your car in tip-top shape for spring.
Time to Retire the Winter Tires
The winter tires that gave you all of that traction, support, and peace of mind in winter conditions have done their job. It was admirable of them to take on that challenge but now they deserve a heroes’ retirement and a bit of rest.
Part of what makes your winter tires so effective is that they are softer than their seasonal equivalents. This adds to the grip that they can provide when icy conditions threaten to throw you off of your path but in the summer months, they will only serve to decrease your performance and fuel efficiency. The hot pavement will do its part to grind your winter tires down and render them useless for the next cold season.
If you treat your vehicle and its components right, they’ll do you the service of treating you right in return. Taking your winter tires off in the springtime and properly storing them will add to their longevity and save you a few bucks in the process.
CarHub’s service team will make quick work of a tire swap for you, you’re just an appointment away from having the seasonal tires installed and the winter tires safely stashed away. And if you don’t have the space for tire storage, CarHub offers winter tire storage to keep your winter riders safe and sound.
Inspecting Your Brakes and Wipers
Your brakes have been hammered with dirt and debris over the winter month, just like the rest of your vehicle. It’s a funny phenomenon that we humans have a way of neglecting things that we can’t see even if they’re extremely important. What could be more important to the way that your vehicle functions than your brakes? They are the number one safety feature on your car and they should be given full attention regularly. Salt, dirt, and grime can build up and cause premature brake pad wear. A CarHub service professional will be able to ensure that your brakes’ frames and calipers are cleaned, lubricated, and perfectly functioning to hit the road with the highest amount of safety possible this spring.
As a side note, this is also a great time to change out your wipers, because they take a terrible beating during the winter and you will want fresh blades to handle summer storms.
Feelin’ Fine on the Inside
Winter has a way of making everything look so beat down and gloomy that it’s easy to get used to seeing everything in your life without a bit of shine. The grime, salt, and dirt that you’ve tracked into your car’s cabin. If you don’t happen to be one of those people who are lucky enough to have a garage to park their vehicle in, standing outside giving the interior of your car a proper clean can be a cold and miserable affair in winter. Now that the season has turned and outdoor life is once again a pleasant experience, a deep clean vacuum and wipe down with a warm water and vinegar solution can turn your cabin into a palace on wheels once again.
Do you want the job done right? The way that only service professionals can do it? Well, you’re in luck! CarHub offers several detailing packages that range from bronze to platinum and are customizable to your specifications. When you’re gonna clean, there’s nothing quite like a deep clean!
Rustproof For Real
Those salt stains that the winter roads kick up on the exterior of your vehicle may be unsightly but it’s also causing real damage. The salt on our roads is more than just normal salt. It’s a complex chemical compound that utilizes magnesium chloride in its mixture to add maximum efficiency to its ice-melting abilities. That’s all well and good but the problem is that magnesium chloride is sticky and it has a way of sticking to the undercarriage of your car, which wears away at the metal components in your car’s undercarriage at your vehicle’s body as well.
Fear not, there is a solution! Spring is a perfect time to get rustproofing done. The CarHub service team is standing by and ready to help with this one as well! And if you’re on the fence about it, consider it this way: a minor investment toward increasing the moisture protection of your vehicle will pay dividends on the major investment of your car’s appearance and resale value down the road!
Clean Your Air Filter
Spring is prime allergy season, so it only makes sense to replace your vehicle's cabin air filter. This critical filter traps dust, pollen, and other foreign particles that are brought into your car through the HVAC system. We also suggest that you wipe down all the interior surfaces of your vehicle, including the dash, seats, belts, and steering wheel, at the same time so you can start fresh for spring. You should also wash and vacuum all mats and other removable cloth surfaces.
Trim the Pounds
Winter is a great time for packing on the pounds and spring is a great time for shedding them. Whether it’s your car or your body there’s no shame in adding a few lbs over the winter months. Now that the sun is shining again though it’s time to get that beach bod in line!
Throughout the winter we have a way of accumulating items in our vehicles. Many of these are necessary, such as winter road trip supplies or tools like a windshield scraper. Extra weight in your vehicle decreases your car’s performance and fuel efficiency. So a quick scan to see what you can ditch from the cabin and trunk of your car is recommended as we head into spring. Ask yourself, do those skates, boots, and skis really need to stay in the car??
Full Safety and Fluid Check
Each time a new season arrives, it never hurts to do a complete safety and fluid check. We suggest that you do a number of things including:
- Checking the tread and inflation levels of your tires
- Changing your oil. You can also check out our guide on how to change an oil?
- Check and add needed fluids included washer, brake, steering, etc
Our service team is happy to take care of any of these items for your if you prefer to have our team take care of it rather than do it yourself!
The Service Solution
The safest, easiest, fastest, best-reviewed and trusted way to ensure that your vehicle is 100% ready for the road this spring is to let us do the heavy lifting. That’s what we’re here for! You have other things on your plate, we’re here to serve, it’s a perfect fit
You can book an appointment today for a full service checkup and/or a detailing with our professional service team at CarHub.ca!