Expert Contributor by Lou Matteo Edgemont Automotive
Keeping Your Vehicles READY TO ROLL Every year has its ups and downs, but 2020 is in a league of its own. Every January brings a feeling of closure and a fresh new start, an expectation that, with some effort on our part (aka keeping our New Year’s Resolutions), life as we know it will get better. The challenges and lifestyle changes we all endured in 2020 have increased our usual hope that 2021 will be a much easier, healthier and happier year for all. Before 2020, the daily routine was to wake up, drive to work, then drive to shopping or to dine out or to a movie. In 2020, that routine did a 180: For many people, working from home is their new normal; food is delivered instead of dining in
restaurants; and movie theaters are closed due to social distancing concerns. Life is so different! And now, cold winter weather is often a good excuse for not getting outside to stretch our legs and get some exercise. Just as people need to “keep the juices flowing,” the same goes for your vehicles. As personal schedules have changed, vehicle service duties and service schedules have also changed. If a vehicle sits for an extended period of time, it will fall out of good running shape. Its joints get stiff, rust builds up, lubricants settle and leave critical components unprotected, batteries may discharge and tires may deflate. Here are some suggestions for keeping your vehicles ready to roll:
Trus te
d Experts in Auto Repa
1. Go for a drive once a week. Just starting the engine and letting it idle for 15 minutes is not enough. To keep tires from drying and cracking, they need to roll and flex. The battery needs to recharge. And the fluids need to reach the proper temperature to coat and protect those important mechanical components. A weekly drive will help ensure a vehicle will be ready when you need it.
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5040 West Chester Pike, Edgemont Camino Commons Shopping Center adjacent to the Edgemont Post Office
Complete Vehicle Repair Import • Domestic • Trailers FREE Pickup, Delivery and Drop off • PA Safety Inspection & Emission Testing • Tires • Brakes • Engine Diagnostics • Scheduled Maintenance • Heating & A/C • Electrical systems • Suspension • Body Control Systems
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Don’t get caught out in the cold. Let us check your car or truck for safe winter driving.
Lou Matteo, Edgemont Automotive
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610-353- 9868 • www.EdgemontAutomotive.com 28
Newtown Square Friends & Neighbors
January 2021
2. If a weekly drive isn’t feasible, consider installing a trickle charger or a solar charger to keep the battery up to snuff because starting it is most important. Then, head straight on over to your local service center for a tire pressure and fluid levels check. 3. The synthetic oils being used more often in newer engines have lengthened the traditional time interval between recommended oil changes. A stay-at-home lifestyle can extend that time even further. For maximum engine protection, change the oil about once a year, with your safety inspection. Filters can be visibly checked more frequently. Most other maintenance items can wait for their respective intervals. 4. One last winter-driving tip: Always turn the windshield wipers off before turning off the engine. Forgetting to turn things off in this order can cause a big problem the next time you go to start the engine: If the wipers try to start while they’re frozen on the windshield, that can break your wiper transmission. May 2021 be a very good year for all our Friends & Neighbors!
NS
