Glide into the Spring Driving Season with These Tips
10 Avril 2007 - 4:30PM
Business Wire
Springtime. The fresh buds on the trees are just beginning to open,
while the stale salty residue on your car has seemingly become
permanent. While spring cleaning is a normal occurrence in most
households, most people don�t perform that same due diligence with
their cars. Get with it! You and your car won�t regret it. �After a
winter of cold wear and tear, it�s incredibly important to have
your car ready for the other extreme - a summer of scorching wear
and tear,� says Mark Salem, talk show host of Under the Hood, a
car-care show on KTAR 92.3 FM and 620 AM in Phoenix. Mark is also
an ASE Certified Master Technician and the owner of Salem Boys
Auto, an auto-repair facility in Tempe, Arizona. �First and
foremost, leaving the salt and road dirt all over and under your
car is a bad idea,� explained Salem. �Hit the local self-serve car
wash to make the car less vulnerable to rust � and more valuable
when you sell it.� To help drivers glide into the spring driving
season, Salem recommends they follow this seven-point checklist for
safety, dependability and fuel economy. 1. Swap out or rotate
tires, checking pressure - If you drive on winter tires, it�s time
to swap them out for all-season tires. If you don�t, it�s still
important to have your tires rotated or replaced. Make sure all
tires, including the spare, are properly inflated and balanced.
Appropriate tire pressure will increase gas mileage and decrease
tread wear. 2. Brake check - After a winter of heavy braking to
avoid ice, be sure to check your brakes. Most of the time, simply
listening to your car gives clues. If you hear excessive grinding,
squealing, screeching or chatter, get the brakes checked. 3. Change
your oil - Oil, the lifeblood of your engine, requires some
thought. What to use? Fully synthetic oils, such as Mobil 1, are
specifically designed to protect your engine in all temperatures,
while optimizing your engine�s efficiency and reducing oil
consumption. Also, consult your owner�s manual or ask your
technician. (For more information about Mobil 1, go to
www.mobiloil.com.) 4. Check all fluids - Having no wiper fluid days
after a snow storm should be a clue that it�s important to keep an
eye on such things. In the cold months, fluids are easily depleted
as your car works harder. Check, top off or replace the brake
fluid, the transmission fluid, coolant, power steering fluid and
windshield washer fluid. 5. Wiper blades check - A winter of wiping
away sleet and snow has led your blades to smear rather than clear.
The perpetual dirty streak in your line of sight can be a hazard,
and replacing the wipers is far less costly than replacing a
scratched windshield. Replace your wipers now, before pounding
spring rains make it difficult to see. 6. Pressure-test you�re air
conditioning - To prevent the sweaty hassle of realizing you have
no air conditioning on the first hot day of the year, check the
vent temperature (pressure) of the cooling system. It should be 55
degrees or less. Also, make sure someone examine belts and hoses
for wear, deterioration or refrigerant leaks. 7. Apply a protectant
- In the sun, vinyl - commonly used for seats and steering wheels -
is susceptible to cracking and fading. Now is a great time to apply
a protectant to prevent such unsightly damage. �Before your
attention turns to beaches and barbecues, make sure to follow these
simple steps,� says Salem. �They�ll ensure that you get to and from
those summertime happenings, comfortably and safely. Spending your
day waiting for a tow truck when you�re dressed in beach wear may
not be what you had in mind.� For more information on vehicle
maintenance, visit www.mobiloil.com.
Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM)
Graphique Historique de l'Action
De Juin 2024 à Juil 2024
Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM)
Graphique Historique de l'Action
De Juil 2023 à Juil 2024