LOCAL/ INDIE BUSINESS ‘IN THE SPOTLIGHT’ – HARK’S SUPER SERVICE
Keep these TOP 5 SPRING/ SUMMER CAR CARE TIPS from owner Rick H on your radar:
1 – Check your car’s fluids – esp. antifreeze. Adding new coolant is a must this time of year, or you may need to get the cooling system flushed. The antifreeze should be the right mix too.
2 – Checking the AIR CONDITIONER is important. This system is especially important when we have those super hot/ humid days when the weak, ill or elderly may need to not travel far in severe heat!
(Also keep a watch on your pets this season: If leaving them in car while you shop, leave windows cracked and park in a shaded area. Also, bring an extra cup of water for them, and upon returning to your car, let them drink!).
3 – Have a SUSPENSION INSPECTION done. (May want to do this w/ your break inspection – see # 5).
4 – Do a TIRE INSPECTION, which includes tire pressure and tread. Uneven wear indicates a need for wheel alignment. Tires should also be checked for bulges and bald spots. You may need to get new tires, or just put some new air in them. Remember how in the winter, the snow may be bad enough to need snow tires on some cars. In the winter months, your tires’ air will be reduced and deflate, but in the summer months, your tires’ air tends to inflate so check from time to time to ensure the tires’ air is balanced – esp for long trips).
A good tire inspection ensures you have no holes, no leaks, and that your tire tread is good. Also, you may want to see if you need to get your tires rotated. In the winter and even after the winter, we must sometimes deal with straddling and driving around all the potholes that the winter snow and salt trucks left behind, so you may have a tiny leak in one of your tires from hitting a past pothole. Having your tires checked before a road trip is ideal then!
5 – A BREAK INSPECTION is also a good thing to have on your list for summer care. If you are driving a long distance for your vacation break, you need to ensure your breaks are operating at peak-level performance.