Monday, September 14, 2015

Summer seems to be moving towards the finish line here in The Pacific Northwest.




Cooler, cloudy days, and depending what time you head to or from work, it may be getting dark before you leave home and maybe even close to dusk when you leave work.

Here are a couple of tips for Fall driving:

1-Check your tire pressures. Seasonable temperature changes can affect the air in your tires and cause the "low tire pressure warning light" to illuminate.
2-Clean the film off of the inside of your windows to reduce that hazy glare that builds up.
3-Is your battery over 4 years old? Consider having it checked. Average battery life for a new cars is about 3-5 years.
4-It is getting cooler. Remember that there are lots of little furry creatures that will be looking for a warm place to hide over the winter. Even if you have a garage for your vehicles, they can still get in. You may want to consider a rodent deterrent of some type to protect your hoses and wires.
5-Replace your wiper blades. After a long hot summer, the rubber on the blades has been degraded. A new set of wipers will work wonders. Consider a window treatment to help keep the windshield clean. It can improve night vision, especially in the rain.
6-Check all of your vehicles lights, inside and out. Ever try to find something in the glove box when the light is not working? If only you could find that flashlight that you put in the glove box. Wont you be thankful that you remembered to change those flashlight batteries?
7-If your headlamps are "foggy" due to ultra violet degradation of the lenses, have them refurbished or (in some cases) replaced.
8-Have your vehicle serviced. Most manufacturers recommend that the oil be changed at least once per year, regardless of the miles driven. Ask your shop for their advice.
9-Have your winter tires installed based on your local needs. You don't want to wait in line to have them installed when the weather person at your local TV station says "SNOW".

Want to learn how to do some of these things yourself? We are sponsoring a free clinic at Hockett & Olsen Automotive & Tire in conjunction with our sister store Benchmark Automotive & Tire in Kingston. We will be having 3, 2 hour sessions on Saturday October 3rd. The times will be:8:15, 10:30, and 12:45. Space is limited. Please RSVP as soon as possible to Andy at hoauto@msn.com and specify which session works best for you.