windshield wipers

Prepare Your Car For Spring!

Posted on Thursday, March 21st, 2013 at 3:50 pm.

Don’t you feel like we just told you how to prepare your car for winter? Well it’s officially spring (even if it doesn’t feel like it), and there are a few small tips you should follow when it comes to your car and the change of seasons. These small preparations can prevent serious damage, and if you do notice an issue with your car, you can fix it before it causes more damage to yourself or your vehicle.

Tires – You need to keep a close eye on your tires right after winter. This winter has been especially treacherous in terms of snow and ice, so your tires have definitely taken a beating. Check the tread and make sure your tires aren’t bald, you want to have plenty of traction when the April showers begin. You should also check the air pressure and make sure it is at the level recommended by the vehicle manufacturer, which can be found in your owner’s manual. Finally, if you’re using snow tires, switch them over to summer tires or all season tires.
Fluids – It is very important to make sure the fluids in your vehicle are all at the proper levels. Most fluid bottles have a dipstick or fill line so you know exactly how much is needed, if you’re not sure which fluid bottles are where, your owner’s manual most likely has a guide. The most important fluid to check is the windshield wiper fluid! A lot of this can get used up during the winter months, when your car is at its dirtiest and you’re constantly trying to see out your window so make sure you atleast check that fluid level.
Windshield Wipers – Speaking of your windshield, check those wipers! Snow and ice can do some serious damage to your wiper blades after a long, snowy winter. Now that it’s spring, consider investing in a new pair if your current ones have some damage. Cars usually have specific sized blades so bring your current wiper blade with you when you go shopping for new ones, that way the associate can find an exact match. You don’t want to get caught in the rain with a faulty pair of wipers, not only is it dangerous for you, it’s also dangerous for other drivers on the road if you can’t clearly see your surroundings.
Belts and Hoses – We know not everyone is a mechanic, but anyone can check a few basic things under the hood. First, check the belts that you see, pull on them and if they’re loose, take your car over to your local mechanic and have him take a look at them. When it comes to hoses, check for any visible cracks or leaks that you may see. If you catch certain problems early enough, it can prevent you from having to pay an arm and a leg for a major repair down the road.
Spring Cleaning – Spring time means spring cleaning! Take your car over to your local car wash and get it spruced up. All of the slush and salt on the roads during the winter can get your ride looking pretty grimy by the time spring rolls around, so get it looking shiny and new with a fresh wash and wax. You may also want to consider getting the interior cleaned too, nothing like a little spring cleaning to get yourself organized.

Now that spring has sprung, take a look at these tips and see how many apply to your vehicle. If you’re unsure about anything under the hood, it’s best to take it to your mechanic for a check up just to ensure everything is running smoothly. Taking your car in for a check up or to have preventative measures taken is the best way to save your money and prevent serious and expensive damage down the road, so follow these tips and keep your car looking shiny and new for another season!

Photo By: fauxto_digit

Winter Driving Tips

Posted on Thursday, December 13th, 2012 at 4:46 pm.

Written by Emma Brooks

Whether you’re excited for the snow or not, it’s important to be sure you are staying safe! Keep these tips in mind when venturing out into the snow this winter, for many of you these tips are refreshers but it’s always good to have a reminder to stay safe!

If you must venture out onto icy or snowy roads, wait until after the sand trucks and plows have gone by. They should be able to break down the worst of the snow and will make it much easier for you in the long run. Even if you have to wait a while for them to service your street, trying to drive on roads that have not been plowed or sanded is not only dangerous, but will take much longer anyways so staying inside until the plows and sanding trucks have gone by is worth the wait.
If you are on the road with plows and sanding trucks, DO NOT try to pass them. Many of them have limited visibility, especially if it is snowing out. Even though they are pretty slow, the plus side to being behind one of these trucks is that the road will be freshly plowed or sanded and that much easier to navigate.
Give yourself extra time to arrive at your destination, there is no doubt that the snow or ice on the road will slow you down or create traffic, so be sure to leave with plenty of time to spare.
Decrease your speed and leave more than enough room between yourself and the car in front of you in case you have to stop. You don’t want to skid out on ice and rear end the person in front of you, an accident in which you would be at fault!
Ride the brake when driving in snow or ice, it will help you avoid skidding out and will keep you at a safe speed! If you do start to skid out or your wheels lock up, slowly ease up on the brake until you come to a stop.
If there is any type of precipitation, make sure that your lights are on. Even if it is still light out, rain or snow can limit visibility for many drivers so you want to make every effort to remain visible on the road.
If you know in advance that it’s going to snow, be sure that your windshield wipers are working properly, you don’t want to get caught in the middle of a storm with a malfunctioning wiper blade!
Make sure you have an ice scraper in your car! You don’t want to get stuck waiting inside your car while the defroster melts the ice on your windows.
Be extra careful on bridges and overpasses, these tend to freeze first and even though there may not be any ice on other parts of the road, these areas are notorious for black ice so reduce your speed and remain aware when traveling over these.
If your vehicle has four-wheel drive, use it! It may use up more gas but will make your commute through the snow much easier and will provide more traction and decrease your chances of skidding out.

The most important piece of advice we can offer is to stay indoors! Don’t drive on roads that are snowy and icy unless you absolutely must, and if you do then make sure that you are properly insured and know who to call should anything happen! If you have any questions or would like a quick quote give us a call at MassDrive! Our agents would be happy to answer any and all questions you may have and will make every effort to get you the lowest premium possible!

Special thanks to weather.com for many of these tips!

Photo By: Ruthanne Reid