As we head further into the spring, we begin to ask ourselves: is my car ready for summer? A lot changes over the autumn and winter months, which means certain checks need to be done.

Forget about your summer body. It’s time to start thinking about caring for your car and prepping it for summer instead! Before you plan your summer and all those epic road trips or holidays around the UK, it’s important to give a little TLC to your vehicle and prepare it for the good times ahead.

What can you do to ensure that you keep the summer heat from taking a toll on your car?

• Test out your AC

There is nothing worse than being trapped inside a car when it’s baking hot outside. It makes us sweaty and irritable and we want to end the journey as quickly as humanly possible. To combat this, you need an effective AC to make sure you don’t sizzle. It lets you sit back, relax and enjoy the car journey much more.

When you test out your AC you notice that you’re getting hot air when it turns on, then you need to get this inspected by a mechanic. You’ll thank us later when driving down the motorway with a cool breeze inside your car!

• Check your tyres

Before embarking on any summer adventures, make sure you inspect your car tyres. When checking them, look out for excessive tread wear, uneven wear and bulges. If you notice any of these issues on your tyres, it’s time to get yourself a new set of tyres before hitting the road.

Alongside conducting a visual inspection of your tyres, be sure to also check your tyre pressure, making sure that your tyres aren’t over or under-inflated. When you have the correct tyre pressure, you can help maximise the fuel mileage, especially on longer trips. 

• Test out the brakes

Your brakes are a crucial safety element in a car. Therefore, it is essential that these are working properly when you go out for long drives over the summer months. After winter, especially when your car has been sitting static on your driveway for weeks (if not months!), you want to make sure that the performance of your brakes are in proper working order before you set off. 

When checking your brakes, one of the most important things to look out for is whether they have the same stopping power as they once had. If you hear a grinding, squealing or growling sound, then (as you may have already suspected) it’s time for a proper inspection. 

At this point, you can also consult a professional mechanic. They will be able to provide you with a proper diagnosis and any repairs. The most important element is making sure that you are safe on the road.

• Top up any fluids

To avoid a costly breakdown, don’t forget to check your fluid levels. Start with the coolant (also known as antifreeze), and check that you have enough fluid; typically, this is a mixture of water and coolant. After this, you can then check the oil by removing the dipstick and looking at the level and colour of the oil. The oil should be a brown/ amber colour.

If the colour and level of oil look good, then you’re ready to hit the road. But, if it is black and running low, then you’ll want to get an oil change before packing your bags and starting your summer adventure.

• Visibility is key!

As with every British summer, we hope and pray for lots of sun and nice (hot) weather. If you’re lucky this year and we do receive lots of sunny weather, then you’ll need to invest in a good pair of polarised sunglasses. Visibility when driving is so important! This will help improve your visibility during a sun glare. You can also adjust your sun visor to help block out the sun when driving. 

When driving during the summer, make sure to leave enough space between you and the car in front of you.

Other checks you can take before your summer trip are ensuring that your car has a valid MOT certificate, it’s taxed and that the vehicle insurance is valid too. You can easily check this information via the government website.

To complete the process of getting your car summer ready, give it a good clean and wash!

Contact Longbridge Tyres

If you’re interested in the services of a premium tyre dealer in the Birmingham and Solihull areas, then look no further than Longbridge Tyres. We are a local and independent dealership who supply new tyres, replacement tyres and performance tyres for all types of vehicles. You can contact us today by calling 0121 457 7582 or through filling out our online contact form, and we’ll be in touch with you soon.