Cooling off from Summer and heading towards Winter, Autumn brings us increased rain and fewer days of sunlight ie. No more daylight savings. Unfortunately, the presence of falling leaves and gusts of wind contain tree sap and pollen that can damage your paint’s finish. When these falling leaves get moist, the acid that is stored inside can start etching onto your car’s finish, going though the clear coat, and then leave behind stubborn stains requiring aggressive car detailing techniques to treat. But other than the obvious regular car care maintenance, with all that Autumn brings, comes a few new safety concerns for drivers, fortunately enough, we have compiled a mini list for you to keep your car Autumn-ready and safe.

1. Check Your Tyres

With increased rainfall, roads can often become very slippery and dangerous, especially wet leaves. Misjudge your distance or time and you could be in a costly or life-threatening situation. Other than the obvious, driving slower and braking earlier, it is crucial to having good traction. Check that your tyres have sufficient tread and that they are at the right pressure (information can be found on your tyres).

If you notice uneven tread across your wheels, we recommend having them checked at the mechanic to ensure that they are aligned evenly. Uneven tread is where certain areas of the tread are more worn out than other areas along the one wheel. Signs of wear and tear, is when you can feel and see that the tyre has become a lot smoother.

Also, be sure to check that your spare tyre is still in working order, you never know when you might need it.

2. Heating and Cooling system

Check that your heating and cooling system is in working condition, particularly your defroster. Your vision can be heavily hindered during Autumn and cooler climates when the windshield tends to fog up. Wiping the windows is not only dangerous, but it just a temporary short-fix and to be frank, it tends to smear the fog around.

3. Windshield

Using a rain-repellent, which can be purchased from your local Auto Shop is a great way to keep your windshields nice and clear during wet weather conditions. Another alternative you could use, is a spray wax with it’s great hydrophobic (water-repelling) characteristics. Of course you would need to wash and dry the car first before applying a layer of spray wax on your windows. Wax in itself is a great cost-effective way to add an extra layer of protection to your paint and windows against environmental pollutants such as dirt, pollen, water and so on.

4. Headlights

With the end of daylight savings, there are fewer hours of sunlight during the day, oh no! So to save your eyes from squinting, do yourself a favour and check your lights to make sure that they are all operating correctly. If you notice that your lights are dim, this can be very hazardous. We understand that buying new headlights can be very costly in the hundreds and timely, so another cheaper alternative you could opt for, is a headlight restoration, which will cost a fraction of the price. If interested, Schmicko also offer headlight restoration as an add-on to our mobile car wash and detailing packages.

5. Windshield Wipers

Replace worn, cracked and streaking wipers immediately. Streaky windows can be a pain, wipers doing half its job and leaving half the windshield scattered with raindrops, not ideal. To make matters worse, if your wipers are not installed correctly, they can even damage your windows with permanent scratches and who could forget, the annoying sound of rubber vs glass. Alternatively, the use of ceramic paint protection can also be applied to your windows for extra protection and smoothness. Don’t leave it to a rainy day to remind you and reduce the likelihood of further damage to your windshield.

6. Paint Protection

Applying paint protection like a wax, sealant, ceramic coating or for the car lovers, Graphene Coating, will be a fantastic way to keep your car’s paintwork in showroom condition for the many years to come. Autumn is notorious for leaf build up and tree sap, which can be very acidic for the paintwork. If you are regularly driving outdoors or parked under trees, waxing your car at the very least is a no-brainer that will save you thousands of dollars in paint restoration costs down the line.

Well there you have it! 5 basic ways you could to stick to, to ensure that your car is in a safe condition to tackle Autumn’s climate. If interested in a headlight restoration to brighten up your headlights and restore them to near new, book mobile car wash and add it as an add-on with Schmicko today.