Ah, the roads of spring and summer. Any day now, those potholes will get fixed, and it’s smooth sailing, right?
Not so fast, Speed Racer. Your car is still suffering from winter. Here’s what you can do to make up to your four-wheeled friend after a winter of abuse:
Remember that time you got stuck behind a plow on I-690? Your car does, too. All that flying sand and salt can do a number on the windshield. You’ll need a pro for the heavy damage, but sometimes you can fix those nicks and cracks yourself. A DIY repair kit costs less than $20.
Check the battery for corrosion, and clean it periodically. Yes, you can even use baking soda or cola in a pinch. We’d prefer you didn’t electrocute yourself, so please get detailed instructions before going on a cleaning spree.
Plan to drive through the night to get to your spring break destination? Better make sure salt and road debris haven’t fogged up your headlight lenses. You can get it done by a pro, or buy a kit to clean and polish the lenses yourself for about $15.
“I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I just squandered.” – George Best
KEEP IT CLEAN
When you wash your windows, dry in two directions – horizontal for the interior and vertical for the exterior. That way, if you see a streak, you’ll know which side of the glass needs more work.
BY THE NUMBERS
$6.4 BILLION
That’s how much pothole damage will cost U.S. drivers this year, according to AAA.
WHAT’S THAT RATTLE?
There’s nothing more maddening than a rattle inside the car. If you’re not Zen enough to ignore the noise, you can buy yourself a little peace by using thread-locking fluids, which help keep nuts and bolts from coming loose.
More like ‘AUTO: It’s time to prep for better weather. Really.” to come in future editions. For now, you can CLICK HERE to go back to the home page!