Seven ways to maintain your vehicle
Now’s the time to make sure your ride runs smoothly and gets a deep cleaning
With many of us stuck inside, and our cars sitting idle outside, now is the ideal time to tackle the things vehicles could benefit from to stay healthy. Consider these car-maintenance jobs that can all be done safely from home.
1 GO FOR A DRIVE
Going for a drive won’t expose you to any virus, as long as you stay inside your car, drive, and come back home. Taking your vehicle out will also keep your rotors from becoming rusted iron anchors that might later cause brake problems from lack of use.
Also, fill up with gas while the price stays so low — but pay at the pumps and use hand sanitizer afterward.
2 WASH AND WAX
You can hand-wash the car with a garden hose, dedicated bucket and good mitt drenched in car soap.
After washing and drying, consider a good three-stage wax that will almost be the equivalent of working out at the gym because it will require a total of six applications of applying it to and wiping it off the entire vehicle. The first stage cleans and scrubs off old wax and impurities and acts as a first polish.
The second stage removes haze and small scratches, and the third is the wax.
Mothers California Gold is an excellent three-stage wax that can be ordered online, but regardless of the brand you choose, make sure it’s a quality car wax containing lots of carnauba — a natural wax from Brazil with excellent shine and protective qualities. If you take your time, waxing can eat up a whole day.
3 CLEAN LIKE THERE’S NO TOMORROW
Remove all the junk from the trunk and back seats, and pick up all the pens, receipts, orange peels, popcorn, cookies and crumbs that have accumulated over the past six months.
Haul out your floor mats and find your Shop-Vac and crevice tool, then go to town on the interior, vacuuming every inch thoroughly.
On salty carpets, spray a 50-50 mixture of warm water and vinegar and let stand.
Vacuum again in a couple hours with the Shop-Vac, but keep doors open to get rid the vinegar smell.
Soak your floor mats with Spray Nine, then rinse with clean water. Use a microfibre cloth dunked in warm water to wipe down all interior surfaces.
Use another dry microfibre cloth for the instrument cluster, being sure to wipe gently so as not to scratch the plastic.
Window cleaner on all glass surfaces, inside and out, works wonders.
4 CHECK YOUR FLUIDS AND FILTERS
Engine oil, coolant, brake fluid, and washer fluid are all consumables that need monitoring. Take note of the levels and add fluids as needed, but also look for leaks while the hood is up.
Equally important is the cabin filter, which is usually found behind the glove box, and will undoubtedly be filled with grime, leaves, pollen and dust. Some cars make it very difficult to access the cabin filter, so look online for how others have gained access — or check the owner’s manual.
Cabin filters can be ordered online either through Canadian Tire or Amazon.
5 PREPARE FOR THE ROAD AHEAD
It’s time to swap into your summer rubber if you have the tools, space and know-how.
Be sure to use proper jacks and blocking if you decide to tackle this job, and always tighten the lugs to the correct spec for the vehicle, re-torquing them again after 100 kilometres.
6 LIGHT UP YOUR INTERIOR
Most cars come with inadequate interior lighting that can be cured with some simple
LED bulbs. Licence plate bulbs, reverse lights, underhood lights, even brake lights and signal lights can often be upgraded, although buying the right kind can be tricky.
Bulbs may trigger an error code and light on the dash because LEDs have less resistance than stock bulbs.
Some LED bulbs have built-in resistors that mimic the power draw of the stock incandescent bulbs to cancel out the error code. Plenty of online forums have pictorial and video guides for installation.
7 SHOP, SHOP, SHOP — ONLINE
It’s amazing how many accessories are offered, with everything from mud flaps to carbon-fibre tape for the door sills.
Go nuts, but don’t get tacky.