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It’s March and it may not be warming up just yet, but you know that spring is right around the corner. The buds will be coming out on the trees, flowers blooming, birds tweeting, and it’ll be time to get your vehicle back in shape after the rigors of a rough winter.

At Star City Tire in Roanoke, VA, we’ve got a few suggestions to get your car back in good shape again for spring and summer:

·         Winter weather, with its snow, ice, road grit and salt, is extremely hard on your car’s finish. A good wash and wax on the first warm afternoon that comes along is a really good idea.

·         If your Check Engine light is lit or you’ve been noticing a difference in performance (less power, stumbling, poor fuel economy, hard starting, hesitation, etc), springtime is a good time for engine diagnostics.

·         Inspect the car’s undercarriage, frame and exhaust system for rust and corrosion damage.

·         Even a late-model car can lose as much as five percent of the A/C system’s refrigerant over the course of a year. Don’t wait until it’s hot – go ahead and have your A/C system inspected and recharged if necessary.

·         If you installed winter tires for the cold months, it’s time to change back to all-season tires again. The softer tread compounds of winter tires will wear quickly in warmer weather, and they shouldn’t be used at temperatures above 40 degrees F.

·         Have the serpentine belt, hoses and hose clamps inspected by a technician and tighten, repair or replace if needed.

·         If it’s been some time since your car’s cooling system has been serviced, it might be a good idea to have a radiator flush-and-fill performed. If you’re unsure of the last time it was done, get a look at the coolant. If it’s looking dirty or rusty rather than brightly-colored, you can figure that it’s time. Also, a technician can test the specific gravity of the coolant using a hygrometer; this is an indicator of the coolant’s condition and effectiveness.

·         Change the oil and oil filter, if the manufacturer’s recommended oil change interval is approaching.

·         Check the condition of the tires, including inflation and tread depth, and rotate if needed.

·         Winter is hard on wiper blades. Get a look at your wipers and replace if needed; also make sure that your windshield washer fluid reservoir is topped off.

It was a long, cold, tough winter, like we often experience here in Roanoke, VA, but it’s on its way out now. Make an appointment and let Star City Tire’s techs make sure your vehicle is good to go for spring and summer!