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Where did this year go? Before you know it, it’s going to be time for the holidays, and that can mean travel in some pretty trying conditions (and we don’t just mean restless kids in the back seat). Is your vehicle ready for some interstate miles?

• Tires: It’s a good idea to have your tires rotated every 5,000-7,000 miles to ensure even wear. With that in mind, it’s easy to just schedule a tire rotation with every oil change, since the vehicle will be up in the air on a lube rack anyway. Have you checked your inflation lately? Your proper inflation levels will be on a sticker on the driver’s side door frame, inside the fuel filler door or in the owner’s manual – always check the inflation when the tires are cold. How about the tread depth? 2/32” is the minimum tread depth allowed in most states. Here’s an easy way to check your tread depth: take a penny and insert it into the tread grooves, Lincoln head down. If the rubber comes up past the top of Lincoln’s head, your tread is at 2/32” or more. Try it again with a quarter; if the tread reaches the top of Washington’s head, it’s at 4/32”. Now, one more time with a penny; if it reaches the Lincoln Memorial, your tread is 6/32” deep.
• Alignment: It’s tiring to fight with a vehicle whose steering wheel constantly wants to drift to one side, but it’s more than that. Poor wheel alignment means poorer fuel economy, as one wheel is dragged along by the others. It also means money wasted through uneven tire wear…have you had your alignment checked lately?
• Finish: Snow, ice and winter weather are pretty rough on your car’s paint and body. A coat or two of wax before winter really sets in can help your car shed water and protect your finish.
• Wipers: Even the best windshield wipers are only good for about a year, before the elements and the sun’s UV rays start to take their toll. Examine your wipers carefully for dry-rot, cracking, strips, chips or chunks missing. Hint: a fresh application of Rain-X on your vehicles windows and windshield can help wet-weather visibility immensely.
• Fluids: As part of your vehicle’s regular preventive maintenance schedule, check the last time you had an oil change, transmission fluid flush and coolant flush. If it’s time…get ‘em done!

We hope that the holidays for you and your family are great this year. You can’t control everything, but you can help eliminate one worry by making sure you’re got a solid vehicle to take on holiday trips – make an appointment with us and we’ll make sure you’re good-to-go.