After a harsh Calgary winter we are sure your car isn’t in the most ideal shape. Whether its was the cold weather, salt or other road conditions that affected your car we are sure spring is the best time to help restore your car back to its prime because it acts as a bridging point between winter and summer. 

7 Point Spring Car Checklist

There is no better way to show your car appreciation for what it helped you get through in the winter than a full spring clean up, auto detail and mechanical check up. 

Several things can be done to your car to make sure it is in great running shape but we highly recommend also taking a look at its body work and areas that can and should be detailed to prevent large future issues.

Performing a full checkup by yourself can be challenging and to ensure a thorough inspection you should goto a professional, if you do choose to complete the check up by yourself follow the steps below!

1. Swap Your Winter Tires and Check Your Brakes

Did you know that keeping your winter tires on when the road is clear and dry is actually bad for your tires, it actually leads to them wearing and tearing faster than they normally would. The same holds true for summer tires being used in the winter. Switching your tires out can not only make a significant improvement in the performance of your car but also help reduce the frequency of swapping them out.

When you get your tires replaced it is very effective to get the technician to take a look at your brakes as well. After a cold winter you may have been hard on your brakes and ensuring they are in good working condition you can increase the safety of your vehicle and save yourself from huge repair bills if they were neglected.

2. Top Off The Engine Fluids

In the winter you and your car probably use more fluids than regularly to compensate for the cold, perhaps you are using more windshield washer fluid. Topping off any of these fluids can contribute to the safety of your car and preventing it form having any issues down the road. Fluids to watch out for are

• Power Steering fluid
• Engine Oil
• Coolant 
• Windshield washer
• Transmission fluid

While there are many other fluids to watch out for these are some of the few that came to our heads first, always check in with a professional if you are unsure.

3. How Is Your Battery Health?

A battery can take a hard beating throughout the winter and if your car doesn’t turn on in the summer it isn’t the most dire situation but it still can be avoided by getting a simple check. These checks can be done at the mechanic shop, can take very little time and can prepare you for the next winter.

4. Detail The Exterior Of The Car

One of the biggest killers of car exteriors in Canada and more specifically Calgary is the salt brine used on our roads to melt the snow. This brine can be very effective in preventing ice and a surplus of snow from sticking but can cause rust and erosion on our vehicles.

A simple exterior wash may not be sufficient to remove all this rust, to combat this an exterior detail by an experienced Calgary detailing company can help. This is because these detailers have the tools to get wash hard to reach areas like the undercarriage of your car. You can try this at home but be careful to have the right tools and do it correctly, while we don’t recommend doing it yourself check out this informative video get some pointers!

After a thorough was is conducted you want to clay bar and apply wax to ensure protection of your cars paint. More details on detailing the exterior of your car can be found in our guide, you can click here to learn more on a complete detailing process. 

5. Freshen Up The Cars Interior

After you complete a quality exterior detail on your car you can’t just ignore the interior of your car. You can complete your cars interior detail by yourself by visiting the guide above and we recommend you do this to freshen up your interior. 

Some benefits are that an interior detail can improve gas milage   removing unnecessary items such as any weight you may have placed in the back for traction. You can also help extend the life of your interior by performing regular interior details and applying the right chemicals to troublesome areas.

6. Apply Protecting Chemicals

This should be done before winter, after winter and occasionally in intervals (once a month roughly). Applying the right chemicals to the interior or exterior of your car can help extend your cars life by giving it what it needs. 

You can’t expect your leather to remain uncracked without proper treatment or your windshield to remain intact without glassparency and ceramic coating. Be smart and apply the right chemicals while you have time, nothing is worse than having caused irreparable damage by cheating out in the beginning.

7. All The Minor Items

It can be easy to miss out on all the minor stuff that can add so much value and safety to your car, we personally have been susceptible to this and we know everyone can. Check out the bullets below to see some small areas that are often overlooked.

Car Lights: Take a look at all the lights of your car, this includes headlights, tail lights, blinkers and interior lights. These are often overlooked but you want to test all the functions in order to drive safely and avoid a ticket!

Headlight Condition: Are your lights foggy? Can you see out of them on a late night? Getting a proper headlight restoration that will also last your forever is something we provide at Drip. Missing out on this can make driving difficult and unsafe.

Wiper Blades: These small blades can matter a ton when you are driving in a snowstorm or in heavy rain. Not having working wipers can lead to accidents, this is something we all want to avoid and it can be as simple as picking up some cheap blades or getting some glassparency applied to your windshield. This hydrophobic coating is not meant to replace your blades but can pair with it to be an amazing solution, ask us about glassparency when you come in for your next Calgary car detail or Fleet & Dealership Detailing In Calgary!

While these are some essential steps to prepare your car for the seasons to come we don’t recommend that you stop there. Take matters into your own hand and find troublesome areas on your car that need attention and don’t feel afraid to ask Drip Auto Pros for help or to book a detail now!