Halfway into October, many of the trees along East Michigan Avenue haven’t yet started to let go of their leaves. Residential neighbors can still be heard out mowing their lawns.
There must be a few days left in 2017 for dropping the tops on convertibles before those guilty-pleasure cars go into storage for the winter.
Maybe so.
But another season of Michigan driving weather is certain to come and now is the time to prepare your vehicle for whatever Mother Nature has in her forecasts.
The good news is that simple checklists can help you move efficiently through the basics. The better news is that trustworthy professionals are available locally in Saline to help make sure your car is covered with the basics and more.
Gerry’s Tire & Alignment completes a “30-Point Courtesy Check” with every oil change, emphasizing that “routine” oil changes are opportunities for customers to avoid potentially expensive surprises. [1,2]
As outside temperatures change, Gerry’s owner Carey Feeman notes the effect this can have on tire pressure. “That can quickly drop five pounds with the cold. You’ve really got to stay on top of that.”
Andrea Gubert of AAA Michigan in Saline (near Emagine Theatre) reminds our community that their website includes a “Winter Car Care Checklist” with detailed explanations for each item. Highlights from this include the following. [3,4]
- Battery
- Drive Belts
- Tire Type and Tread
- Tire Pressure
- Air Filter
- Coolant
- Lights
- Wiper Blades
- Washer Fluid
- Brakes
Looking at the list above, it’s easy to reflect on the impact of summertime driving conditions on wintertime driving preparations. Did you drive on any of the dirt roads in Scio Township? Through road construction? Where did you park for the Saline Community Fair or during your visit to Rentschler Farm.
These are just some things that will affect the often sensitive systems upon which your automobile must rely for safer driving in snow, ice, and transitional weather.
Do people still use snow tires?
It really depends upon the vehicle and the driver, responds Carey Feeman. Every year, Gerry’s Tire & Alignment changes out several dozen Saline area customers to snow tires for winter, then back to summer tires, and offers storage “for the set that’s off the car.”
And what about those convertibles we hope to see on East Michigan Avenue a few more times yet in 2017? Andrea Gubert suggests owners contact their insurance carriers when they finally do put their “summer” rides into storage.
“We can save customers several hundred dollars over the winter by temporarily changing the classification of those cars.”
References
- Gerry’s Tire & Alignment (home page).
- “Gerry’s Tire & Alignment 30-Point Courtesy Check” Gerry’s Tire & Alignment.
- AAA (locations within 5 miles of Saline).
- “Winter Car Care Checklist” AAA Exchange.
