Welcome back to the Proje’ blog! It’s been a strange year and Christmas will certainly be a relief to many people, who will be desperate to see their families. The last thing anyone needs to round off 2020 with is car trouble. So, rather than talking about one of our products this week, we’re going to give you a few tips for keeping your car roadworthy this Christmas:
- Check your oil and water
Oil and water may not go together very well, but boy are they necessary for your car. Think of oil as being like the blood of your car – without it, things go wrong, real quick. Oil acts as a lubricant, a protectant, and a cleaner for everything in your engine that moves. If you don’t have enough oil, you get friction, overheating, and an engine burnout. We all like to spend Christmas round a roaring fire – but preferably, that fire is in your house, not coming out of the hood of your car!
While oil lubricates, water keeps things cool. Without it, your engine will overheat. Again, you’re going to wind up with burnout. These things are so easy to check – just pop the hood and take 2 minutes to do it. You won’t regret it!
- Tires and windshield wipers
Your tires are so important – they’re what keep your car on the road, more than anything else. In winter, conditions are often more difficult than at other times, so you don’t want to just check pressure, but also check the tread and see it isn’t worn. Bald tires cause a lack of grip and in icy weather, that spells trouble. Pressures contribute to handling too, but also if you let your tire pressures get too low, you’ll get a puncture. Nobody wants to be calling out roadside assistance in sub-zero conditions. With your windshield wipers, it’s more of a safety issue. Check the rubber and move any grit. If the rain comes down, you want to be able to see properly – we’re told it’s an advantage!
- Top up
Wiper fluid, oil, water, tire pressures – if in doubt, get it all topped up. Better safe than sorry!
- Test your lights
Not only can the police stop you for having lights that don’t work, but in the darkness at the end of the year, it’s also dangerous. Fewer daylight hours and worse weather mean more night-time driving, bad weather means fog lights and full beams. Take the time to test that your brake, reverse, indicator, and headlamps / side lights / fog lights all work. They’re there to let other people know you’re there and what you’re going to do, but also to help you see. Think of them as another set of eyes!
- Fuel!
It might sound obvious, but check you’ve got enough gas. We’ve all been caught out – or nearly caught out – at one time or another. Fill up and get a little can in the trunk for emergencies. Remember, if you run out and get stuck, you’re at the bottom of the priority list for roadside assistance.
Just spending 10 minutes on these things can bring you peace of mind as well as heading off some major trouble at the pass and giving yourself the best opportunity to make that journey without any problems. So, from all of us at Proje’, have a great Christmas – and drive safe!
We hope you’ve enjoyed reading this week’s blog – stay tuned for more tips and tricks next week. We’re going to feature more of our kits each month too, so keep an eye out for more great all-in-one deals and some incredible discounts!
If you have any questions about any of the techniques or products that we’ve mentioned in this post, just add a comment below and we’ll post a reply! Remember that we stock only the best auto detailing supplies, so why not click some of the links in this blog post, or visit our products page to find out more? From all of us at Proje’, Enjoy the Process!