The winter season is particularly hard on vehicles. In addition to the snow and ice, road salt and other items used to keep the roads safe can potentially damage your vehicle. Rusting and other issues can cause your vehicle to deteriorate prematurely, but the good news is most of these problems are preventable. Here are some proactive steps to take to protect your car as much as possible this winter.
Wash Your Vehicle Frequently
Going through the car wash frequently is important to get all the salt from the roads off to prevent rusting. A thorough wash isn’t required all the time, though, so if you can spray your car off with a water hose at home, it should be sufficient. Just be sure to spray under the vehicle, in the wheel wells, and everywhere else to ensure all of the salt is washed off. One thing you could also do before the winter weather arrives is to polish or wax the vehicle so the salt and other debris will fall off more easily while driving and when you wash it.
Examine Your Vehicle For Nicks And Dings
Exposed metal surfaces can happen when a rock hits the car and chips the paint or other things cause the paint to be chipped. Examine these nicks and dings closely and touch them up with paint as soon as you can. Touch up kits can be purchased online, or you can take it to a repair shop to fix them if you have a lot. Salt can cause small areas of rust to turn into much larger areas and get to the point where touch up paint won’t be as effective.
Lubricate Your Locks
It’s easy to forget about taking care of your locks when you have a remote to access your vehicle. Lubricating your locks can help ensure moisture won’t stick to the lock and leave you stuck outside your vehicle. It only takes a few seconds to apply some lube to them and prevent moisture buildup, so it’s well worth it to do it now.
Invest In Winter Wiper Blades
Winter wiper blades are designed to be strong enough to push snow away and ensure you have clear visibility during winter storms. Standard wiper blades typically aren’t strong enough to handle this, so invest in them now, and you’ll be ready to drive safely during a snowstorm or easily push away the snow when you get into the vehicle.
Protecting your car during the winter is important since vehicles have to go through a lot more during this time. DeBoer’s Auto is here to help if you are unsure of what steps to take. We can do a full evaluation of your vehicle to ensure it is in the best shape possible to handle the winter season. Or, if you give us a call, we would be happy to tell you over the phone some of the things you can do on your own to help. Feel free to contact us at any time to schedule an appointment or speak with one of our professionals.
