Car Washes Promote Regular Maintenance: 5 Key Things to Check Every Time You Wash Your Car
Good habits help build other good habits, that’s why a car wash membership can help you take care of more than just your cars appearance. A car wash offers a great reminder to do some vehicle preventative maintenance. Use a car wash as a proactive reminder to inspect your ride's condition can help you catch minor issues before they become expensive repairs or create an unsafe driving situation.
This post highlights maintenance reminder checks for:
Why Car Washes Are the Perfect Reminder for Car Maintenance
Consider car washes as mental markers for routine maintenance. Especially with a car wash membership, you’re already establishing a pattern. Linking one habit to another builds long-term consistency. Combining fundamental car care tasks with a car wash establishes a ritual for car care.
Let every car wash become a prompt for inspecting car safety systems, topping off fluids, or scheduling service; it’s a perfect way to provide general maintenance in everyday routines. Thanks to your regular vehicle preventive maintenance steps, you’ll experience fewer high-cost repairs and breakdowns.
Exterior Inspection – Tires, Lights, & Wipers
While your car is getting its shine on, inspect the tires, lights, and wipers. Check the tread depth on the tires with the penny trick or a tread gauge. Look for even wear and use your pressure gauge to ensure the pressure matches the PSI recommendation listed inside the driver’s door. Maintaining proper tire inflation is key for fuel efficiency and handling.
Test your headlights, brake lights, and turn signals. Foggy lenses or dim bulbs will compromise visibility and safety. Bulb replacement is easier and less expensive than receiving a ticket or getting into an accident.
Check the windshield wipers for cracks, skipping, or streaking. Damaged wipers can scratch your glass and reduce visibility. Replacing windshield wiper blades is an easy way to improve visibility and safety.
Under-the-Hood Spot Checks
When your car is clean and the engine is cool, pop the hood for vehicle preventive maintenance. Check your oil level to ensure the oil level is correct and the oil is clear amber. An oil change may be necessary if it's low in level or dark in color.
Check and top off the windshield washer fluid and glance at your coolant reservoir, while you’re at it, to ensure the fluid levels are between the “min” and “max” lines.
Notate any dashboard lights, squeal or grind noise from your brakes or new engine sounds. They may not need attention, but it’s worth checking. These routine checks are what general maintenance is all about.
Interior Maintenance for Driver Safety and Comfort
Start with the seatbelts: Ensure the seatbelts are not fraying, fully retractable, and easily accessible. Dust can settle into the seat belt retractor (Where the seatbelt coils) so using a long nozzle vacuum or canned air can help keep it operating smoothly.
Seat Tracks & Floors: Clean seat tracks and under-seat areas with a can of air or a handheld vacuum cleaner. Remove anything in and around the tracks to ensure smooth seat movement and fully functional locking to ensure safety.
Finally:
check your mirrors, steering wheel, and infotainment controls. Ensure they are positioned correctly and easy to reach. These adjustments should feel natural and effortless. Fundamental car care extends beyond the engine.
What Is General Maintenance for a Car?
General maintenance refers to proactive tasks like oil changes, tire rotations, fluid checks, air filter replacements, and brake pad checks.
It can be easy for a busy life to crowd out practicing proactive maintenance. With car wash memberships, it becomes easy to coordinate cleanliness with upkeep to make a vehicle's preventive maintenance routine.
Shine N’ Roll Helps You Drive Clean and Safe
Every Shine & Roll car wash will leave your car sparkling clean, and every trip is an opportunity for fundamental car care. From inspecting tires, lights, and wipers to checking under-the-hood fluids, evaluating seatbelt condition, tidying interior controls, and reviewing general maintenance needs, you can use a car wash as a reminder to protect your investment.
Our car wash memberships make it easy to put general care and maintenance into a routine. Shine & Roll car washes leave your ride with a rocking shine and help you keep rolling when you build in vehicle preventive maintenance . Your car will be a rockstar both inside and out, saving you money and making the most of your car wash membership.
