Cars require work, and they are worth a lot to you—both time and money, in fact. That’s why you want to keep them in good shape. Now that it’s summer, you might have some free time to take care of a few vehicle upkeep tasks that you might forget about otherwise. What are some of the things you can do with your car this summer to keep it in good shape?

Most people think it’s just fine to hit the gas and take off this summer. In most cases, it’s fine to think that way. Still, don’t be fooled. If you don’t take care of your car, you will face higher risks of accidents, catastrophic failures, or just annoying inconveniences that no one wants to deal with. Even by taking small steps to take care of your car, you might even be able to reduce your vehicle’s insurability risks, and that might help you save money on your car insurance.

How Summer Impacts Vehicles

Here in South Texas, we’re close to the Gulf of Mexico, which leads to a higher risk of humidity and certain severe weather threats. Not only that, Texas is well-known for its extreme heat. All of these environmental phenomena could negatively impact your car. Even though vehicles these days are very durable, they still could face significant damage from everyday environmental conditions.

And don’t forget, tourist traffic tends to increase during the summer. So, whenever you hit the road, you could face a higher risk of car accidents.

If you have car insurance, it might be able to help you out should events like these damage your car. For example, collision insurance might help you pay for your vehicle damage in case an accident occurs. Comprehensive coverage will pay for vehicle damage from non-accident hazards, like storm damage.

However, please note that car insurance won’t cover damage to your vehicle from normal wear and tear. So, if you were to ignore the need to take care of your car throughout the season, and it were to develop problems, then the repair costs might be yours to pay. Your policy likely won’t help you for simply the frequent or preventive maintenance you might do to the vehicle.

So, what can you do to keep your car in good shape?

Your Tips for Taking Care of the Car

Take out your car’s maintenance manual, and see if your manufacturer recommends certain summer maintenance. Completing these tasks should be your priority this season. In many cases, you can undertake simple preventive care yourself, and in other cases, you can take the car to a mechanic.

Also, check to see how often you should have your vehicle serviced by a mechanic. Most manufacturers recommend drivers to seek service after every 5,000 to 10,000 miles of odometer use. If you don’t seek service, your car won’t be able to operate in optimal conditions. Therefore, its risks of experiencing sudden losses or damage might increase substantially.

Keep in mind just a few of the following maintenance and care recommendations for summer driving.

• Have the car’s fluid levels checked and changed. The vehicle will need appropriate levels of coolant, lubrication, oil and other essential fluids. Otherwise, you might put undue pressure on the engine, battery and other components in hot weather.
• Check the car’s air filter. You will need to change the air filter periodically, or else you might put undue stress on the car’s engine.
• Changes in temperature can change a car’s tire pressure. If your tires don’t work appropriately, you could face sudden risks of flats or burst tires. You also won’t have optimal fuel economy if your tires don’t have proper inflation.
• Check around the car for signs of rusting or warping. Humidity might cause essential systems to rust. Extreme heat might also cause a melting or warping of vehicle features, particularly plastic components inside the interior. Though these pieces are very durable, you should keep an eye on them, and protect them as best you can. Simply putting up a sunshade in your windshield might help keep the interior from overheating.

We’ll Help You Do an Auto Insurance Review

The summer is also a great time to do a car insurance review, and your Reliable Insurance Services agent is more than happy to help you look at what you have, and what you might need. Even if it isn’t time to renew your policy, we can help you make changes to your coverage.

We can even advise you on what coverage you might need, if you don’t have it already. You might not have collision or comprehensive coverage for vehicle damage, but you might need it to help you pay for vehicle damage, even if you have an older car. We can help you see whether you have enough coverage, or if you might need more of it.

You have a right to call us at any time to get more explanations on your car insurance, and we are more than happy to help you adjust your policy to keep you safe this summer.

Also Read: What Does Full Coverage Actually Mean?