OIL CHANGE TIPS
Getting your car ready for a South Carolina summer
Midlands summers are hard on cars. Heat thins out oil, shortens battery life, raises tire pressure and pushes the cooling system. A quick check in spring heads off most of the breakdowns we see in July and August.
The pre-summer checklist
- Oil. If you're close to due, change it before the heat arrives. Hot weather and stop-and-go traffic often count as "severe" driving in owner's manuals.
- Battery. Heat is the biggest enemy of car batteries. If yours is three years old or more, have it load-tested. More on why batteries die in the heat.
- Tires. Check pressure when the tires are cold, using the number on your driver's door jamb, not the sidewall. Look at tread depth before summer storms.
- Coolant. Check the level in the overflow reservoir with the engine cool. Never open a hot radiator cap.
- A/C. If it's blowing warmer than last year, have it looked at before the first 95-degree day, when shops get busy.
- Wipers. Summer afternoon storms come fast. Replace streaky or chattering blades.
Keep in the car
- Water, especially if you have kids or pets riding along
- A phone charger and a sunshade
- Jumper cables or a portable jump starter
What we can handle in one visit
Every Lube Lizards oil change includes a fluid top-off, tire pressure and tread check, battery test and brake inspection. That covers most of this list in your driveway. If we find something that needs a repair, like an A/C or cooling system problem, you get photos and our notes, and we refer you to a trusted local shop.
Beat the heat in one visit. Oil, fluids, tires, brakes and battery checked in your driveway in Lexington, Irmo, West Columbia, Cayce, Chapin and Red Bank.
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