Spring may bring a respite from chilly winter temperatures, but the season presents its own challenges too — not least an increase in rainfall. But rain aside, spring is the perfect time to hit the road and spend some time in the great outdoors after being cooped up all winter. Here we provide some essential car care jobs you should take care of in spring to get your car ready for all those road trips.
1. Battery
After a long, cold winter your car’s battery might not be in the best state. Cold temperatures affect the chemical processes in the battery, and can lead to a drop in performance. Before you start planning any weekend drives with the kids, you should take your car to a mechanic to have the battery tested, or do it yourself using a battery tester. If the battery is down on power give it a good charge using a battery charger, or, if it’s over 5 years old, replace it with a newer model.
2. Tyre Pressure & Condition
April showers might make for slippery driving conditions, but you can combat this by checking the pressure and condition of your tyres throughout the season. We’d recommend giving your tyres a good once over at least every fortnight, and that includes their pressure and overall condition. Look for signs of uneven tread wear, and rotate them if necessary — this guide can show you how!
3. Windscreen Wipers
Your windscreen wipers will likely have taken a bit of a beating through the winter, and spring rains mean they aren’t out of the woods just yet. If there’s any wear or cracks on the wiper blade, this could impair visibility or even damage your windscreen, so it’s worth checking and replacing them if you notice any defects. New wiper blades are reasonably cheap, and they’re also easy to fit, so even if you usually like to leave car fixes to a mechanic this is one job you can do on your driveway.
4. Spring Clean
It’s important to keep your car clean at all times of year, as dirt, salt and other debris from the road will corrode your paint if left untreated. At the start of spring, give the car a thorough clean from the roof to the undercarriage, before applying a layer of quality car wax. Provided you use a high quality wax, this layer should be good until the autumn.
5. Brakes
For the sake of a few quid, it’s worth taking your car to a garage to have its brakes checked in the spring. After months of driving in hazardous wintry conditions, brakes can lose some of their efficacy, so it’s worth getting them checked over. Unless you’re savvy at car DIY, it’s best to take the car to a mechanic to have the brakes serviced by a professional. If there’s nothing wrong with the system this shouldn’t cost much, but if there is, having the problem fixed could prevent dangerous problems down the road.
Now you’ve got your car spring-ready, it’s the perfect time to hit the roads and enjoy the brighter, longer days. For more car care tips throughout the year, head back to the main Car Care Guide page, here.