Get Your Car Ready for Spring with These Seven Tips!

Unexpected car repairs can easily take your financial budget off-track. Regular maintenance can keep your car running longer and help catch any potential costly major repairs before you’re left stranded. Make these tips a part of your spring-cleaning routine to keep your car running smoothly all season long – take a look at the various replacements, services, and spring-cleaning tasks you can get started with today!

Refill Fluids and Replace Filters

Spring is an ideal time to give a quick look at the colors and levels of your car’s essential fluids, including:

• Coolant
• Brake fluid
• Engine oil
• Power steering fluid
• Transmission fluid

Your engine oil needs to be replaced more frequently depending on your mileage. Check your owner’s manual to determine how often you’ll need to schedule an oil change. Your engine air filter and cabin filter should also be replaced when you can no longer see light pass through the pleats. If light can’t pass through, neither can fresh air.

Replace Wiper Blades

This time of year can bring rain showers, storms, and wiper streaks. By replacing wiper blades that are old and damaged, you’ll have improved visibility on the road, especially during inclement weather!

Inspect Tires and Brakes

After the recent cold and harsh winter months, you’ll want to check in on your tires and brakes to keep things running smoothly! Check that the pressure and tread depth of your tires are the same or close to what is recommended by your owner’s manual. Ideally, your tires should have at least 4/32nds of an inch of tread depth, and you shouldn’t have any uneven wear across the tread. If your tire tread depths are uneven, it might be time for a rotation. Your tire’s air pressure will change with the temperature, so check it frequently as temperatures vary over the season. Your inboard and outboard brake pads should be at least 3/16ths of an inch at each wheel, and the brake rotors should be flat. If either of these things are worn down or rough, it might be time to replace them.

Check the Suspension and Alignment

The winter road conditions might have caused some abnormal alignment and suspension. If you notice your steering wheel pulls to the side while driving, or if you hear rattling or clunky sounds, you might want to schedule a wheel alignment and suspension inspection.

Check Your Battery

Your car’s battery is vital to a properly functioning vehicle. Now is the perfect time to check that the battery connection is well-fitted and free of corrosion.

Service Your Engine

It’s also a good idea to schedule a spring servicing for your engine to ensure your engine is at the best power-to-fuel-efficiency ratio, which can also help to reduce your vehicle’s overall emissions.

Spring Cleaning

One of the easiest things you can do today is clean the interior and exterior of your vehicle. When you clean the built-up salt and grime, you can avoid damage to your paint and stop rust from breaking down the body. A deep vacuuming of the interior carpets and seats can help freshen up your ride, making it feel as good as new!

If you’re looking to upgrade your ride or rate this season, First Harvest offers competitive new and used auto loan financing options as well as a flexible auto refinance program that works with your budget! To explore our current auto loan rates or to learn more about our refinancing and lease buyout options, visit our Auto Loans page!