Get Your Car Ready for Summer with this Checklist

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Winter is finally leaving New York and the following spring looks to be a short one before a proper New York summer hits.  After all the work you put into getting your vehicle ready for a long snowy winter, what can you do to get it ready for the extreme heat that will be upon us in the city soon?

First up, check your windshield wipers.  With all the cold weather and ice the city went through this past winter, there is a good chance it caused some damage to your wipers.  You needed them ready in the snow and you need them just as much with the rain.  Getting them replaced so you don’t have to fight to see during a downpour will save you a headache and a call to the towing truck.

Next, give your battery a look.  Winter can do a number on batteries, causing some nasty corrosion to build up.  Take a look at all the connectors and make sure you don’t see any issues.  If you see any issue, contact a service center for them to look at and maybe even get yourself a new battery.

How is your coolant?  This is something you’re going to want to know due to the heat that is coming.  Your engine will be getting a beatdown and the coolant needs to be working to avoid some nasty business.  Now may be a good time for you to bring in your vehicle for a flush-and-fill.

Lastly, check your air conditioning.  With the heat that is on the way, you want to make sure this is working.  Make certain that you don’t need to add any refrigerant to help keep yourself cool.  It’ll be good to test it out more to make sure there isn’t a leak or any other issues wrong with it.  When that temperature spikes, you’ll want this working properly.

If you want to make sure your car is ready for summer, contact us at Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge.  We’ll schedule you in to be seen in our service center and make sure everything is working properly.  You can also keep up with your service appointments by downloading our mobile app to view details in real time on your vehicle when brought in for a service appointment.  Be sure to by like Bayside on Facebook, following on Twitter, or subscribing on YouTube.

Summer Maintenance Tips: Air Filter

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The summer maintenance tips continue.  Take out the check-list and add air filter to the list because that is what we are covering next.

As the summer season approaches, it is the perfect time for an air filter inspection.  Thanks to all that dirt and other gunk in the winter, the air filter can get pretty clogged up.  Having a dirty air filter can do damage to your fuel efficiency.  According to HowStuffWorks, replacing a clogged-up air filter can have a positive impact on your gas mileage by as much as 10 percent.

Normally the recommendation for changing an air filter is at 12,000 miles.  This figure does not take into account the amount of driving or the environment driven in.  If you are typically driving through dirty places, such as gravel roads, then you’ll be needing to keep a closer eye on the air filter as it will clog up faster than someone who spends their time on a highway.

Checking an air filter is easy and you will be wanting to look for extreme dirt.  Don’t fret if the air filter is slightly dirty, that is fine and normal.  It is obvious when the air filter is in dire need of changing.  So yet another part to look into before setting out on a summer vacation trip.

If you need help with looking with the air filter or any of the other maintenance tips we’ve mentioned thus far, then contact us at Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge’s service center.  Be sure to like us on Facebook and to follow us on Twitter to see our monthly deals and service specials.

Image courtesy of Stoonn / FreeDigitalPhotos.net