(NC) Ditch your old ways and improve your car maintenance practices to avoid any that may be harming your vehicle.
Here are four bad habits OK Tire recommends changing to keep your car in tip-top shape:
- Not getting a deep clean. Much like you would spring clean your home, your car deserves the same care. Often, we neglect our vehicles and their need for a good cleaning once winter finally ends. Winter months wreak havoc on vehicles as cold temperatures and corrosive road salt can eat away at both the interior and exterior. Don’t forget to clean from the inside out this spring to avoid any damage, and top things off with a fresh coat of wax.
- Forgetting regular maintenance. Much like we go to the dentist for check-ups, your vehicle needs the same attention with specific mileage intervals and changing of the seasons. Whether it’s a fluid top-up or an engine flush, regular maintenance will keep your car running smoothly. Consider getting your drum brakes inspected, cleaned and adjusted in combination with cleaning and lubricating the “sliders” on the disc brake calipers to help deal with any salt and sand build-up that can take a toll on these components.
- Treating winter tires like all-weather. A common misconception about leaving your winter tires on all year is that it can save you money. This is a false statement. In fact, leaving them on year-round will cost you more in the long-run. Winter tires are made from a softer rubber-polymer mix that allows the tire to better grip the road when it’s below 7°C. This different type of material will wear rapidly in warmer temperatures, causing premature wear and reducing the tread life of the tire. If you use winter tires all spring and summer, you will need to purchase a new set of winter tires come fall. A better alternative to driving on your winter tires year-round is to purchase a set of all-weather tires. Because they can handle light to moderate rain, ice and snow conditions, they might provide you with the best of both worlds.
- Ignoring your air filter. Your cabin air filter keeps the air flow for your heating and cooling systems working efficiently. It also keeps your interior free of musty odours and allergens. Getting rid of an old air filter is essential for keeping the air flowing efficiently within the interior of the vehicle. A dirty cabin air filter can reduce the air flow within the car and cause the inside of the windows to fog up, making it difficult to see where you are going. This should be inspected and replaced, if required, at every oil change interval.