Whether tomorrow will feel springlike or not is a mystery even the weatherman may not be able to fully predict. But one thing is for sure: Spring is coming, and with it the not-too-unpleasant chore of sprucing up your ride and undoing the ravages of winter. Here’s a quick ten point checklist:

Exterior Wash and Wax Chances are, four months of sand, grit, and plain old dirt have formed an abrasive film on your vehicle. Now is the time to wash away that slurry, and get a hard coat of wax onto the finish. 

Undercarriage Cleaning There may be pounds of grit impacted in your undercarriage, damaging the rubber seals of your suspension joints and shock absorbers. So a quick trip to a commercial car wash, or a session with a power washer, are an important part of Spring cleaning

Seasonal Tire Changeover Your winter tires are ideal for icy weather, but their chunky tread and cold-oriented rubber compound will wear down quickly in warm weather. So Spring is the time to make your best guess as to the year’s final snowfall, and then change over to quieter, smoother riding, and longer lasting summer tires. Need knowledgeable tire help? Call us anytime. 

Check Tire Inflation Once your tires are correct for the season, you’ll want to periodically check inflation. Why? Because tire pressure varies considerably during the summer as you drive and then let the tires cool. Once a week should do it—check your Owner’s Manual or call us for recommended pressures. One final Tip: don’t forget to top up the air in your spare tire.

Oil Change That amber fluid is the lifeblood of your car, and winter alternately chills and cooks oil brutally. So an oil change at the end of each winter is a must. We can handle the task, or provide the oil filter and oil for do-it-yourselfers.

Recondition Upholstery Leather or Fabric  The same gritty conditions of winter have probably sprinkled the equivalent of sandpaper on your upholstery. So take a few minutes to vacuum thoroughly, and then to condition your upholstery, whether it be fabric, vinyl, or leather. By the way, we carry the exact conditioners you need for your vehicle— feel free to stop by.  

Coolant Flush or Top-Up Paradoxically, in cold weather your coolant must work harder, since it is coursing through the heater core of your vehicle. So this Spring may be the time for a coolant flush, or at the very least a top-up. Contact our Service Department to find out which.

Interior Carpeting-- Vacuum and Shampoo Run a hand over those floor mats. Do you feel all the grit of a gravel pit ground into them? Now is the time for a thorough vacuuming and shaking of your mats, and a good shampooing of the carpeting. Tip: nothing gives kids more joy than wailing on an inanimate object, so don’t hesitate to let your little ones become merciless “carpet beaters!”  

Get that Boot ready for Summer! Those skates, parkas, shovels, and bags of rock salt will only take up space this summer and  make rattling noises, all while abrading your trunk liner. So why not move them to the garage, and make room for beach chairs and coolers? 

Scheduled Service We’ll end with the most important recommendation of all: nothing will extend the life of your vehicle after a hard winter as much as our hawk-eyed technicians performing a scheduled service.  So give us a call or drop us an email. We’d love to see you and pamper your baby.  

Note: Remember that many service intervals are based on either mileage driven or time passed—even a car that sees few miles accrues service needs with each passing month. 

Fatigue is estimated to be a contributing factor in about 40 per cent of fatal car accidents. Interestingly, about two thirds of these occur when a person younger than 30 is behind the wheel.

This is because younger drivers are generally less experienced and therefore have more difficulty detecting early signs of drowsiness, such as: heavy eyelids, inconsistent speed caused by leg involuntarily relaxing and tensing, lapse in memory, hallucinations.

Furthermore, this demographic tends to think they can fight off fatigue without taking proper precautions. Coffee, soda and Red Bull, however, only provide temporary bursts of energy that are typically followed by a crash—no good for long distance driving.

Here are five healthy and effective tips for staying awake and keeping alert on long, monotonous and/or nighttime drives. 

1. At the first signs of fatigue, the absolute best thing to do is pull over and take a power nap. This means that you allow yourself a quick—as in 15 to 30 minute—rest, careful to wake before your brain has a chance to enter deep sleep. This keeps you from beginning your regular sleep cycle, an abrupt termination of which will likely leave you feeling even more tired and disoriented than before the nap.
2. Even if you don’t have time to pull over for half an hour make sure to take a break every two hours. And if you don’t need to use the washroom, get out of your car and walk around anyway. Doing jumping jacks is also a great way to get blood flowing.
3. Let fresh air into the car, putting the passenger seat’s window down so that the air doesn’t dry your eyes out (especially if you wear contacts). Dry, hot and stale air are all conducive to fatigue.
4. Eat well on the road. Fast food will make you feel more lethargic, with little actual nutrients or protein to sustain you. Try snacking on nuts, seeds and fruit instead. Plus, these are easy to eat on the go. Strong chewing mints or gum are also helpful—the flavor combined with the simple act of chewing are invigorating.
5. Play upbeat music and sing along! This will keep your mind active and keep your spirits up.