Thursday, 23 May 2013

After A Harsh Kansas City Winter, Getting Your Car A Check-Up Can Be A Lifesaver

Winter in Kansas City can be a pretty harsh time, especially when it sticks around as long as it has this year (snow in May, are you kidding me?), and so when it finally comes to an end I think we're all eager to get back on the roads and start enjoying the better driving weather that spring and summer bring with them. But before we do that, it can be important to give our cars a check-up and make sure that they're fit for cruising.

Winter can be incredibly harsh on vehicles, as well as on people. Snow and road salt can damage tires and undercarriages, not to mention paint jobs and finishes, and the cold weather can be just as rough on engines. Not only that, but the winter weather, ice melt, and snowplows all can play havoc with the roads, which means that you want to make sure your car's in tip-top shape and hasn't been damaged by potholes or other bad road conditions. So before taking my car out for my first drive of the spring, I always make sure I give it a thorough going-over and cross a few things off my car preparation check list.

The first thing I do is give the car a good wash. Winter tends to leave all sorts of gunk and residue behind, and if the car isn't clean not only does it not look its best, but it also makes it difficult to spot any other problem areas that may exist. I also make sure the undercarriage is nice and clean.

My current car doesn't have snow tires, but back when I did I would swap them out for my better-weather tires next, and I always make sure to check my tires for wear, and to check the air pressure in them. If they haven't been rotated in a while, I'll get that done, as well.

Next, I'll take the car in for a complete fluid change—oil, brakes, transmission, steering, coolant, wiper fluid, the works. While the car is in, I'll have them check the brakes (we tend to go hard on brakes during icy weather), as well as the suspension and alignment, in case they got knocked out of balance by potholes or other road conditions. And while I'm there, I usually get my wiper blades changed, too. Ice and snow can tear up wiper blades pretty quickly, and spring in Kansas City is known for its thunderstorms, so the last thing I want is to be caught in a downpour with substandard wipers.

For most cars, that'll be enough to make sure that they're ready for the spring and summer driving season. Every now and then, though, the time comes to replace a car that's just no longer up to snuff. When that time comes, I head to Instant Credit Auto Sales of Kansas City. They're Kansas City's home for No Credit Check Financing, and since they're a Buy Here, Pay Heredealer, they make getting a quality pre-owned car quick, easy, and hassle-free, so that I can start enjoying the nice weather before winter sets in again!

Featured images:
  •  License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/

The author needed new transportation, and he went to a Kansas City buy here pay here dealer to get exactly what he wanted.