Almost all of nature experiences a renewed sense of life once the short days and long nights of wintertime gradually become distant memories. Trees grow their bright green foliage back, flowers bloom, and days mercifully become warmer and longer. Animals come out of hibernation and brumation ready to start fresh, but what about our four-wheeled friends?
If you live in a colder climate, your car has likely been through a rough winter with plenty of road salt and dirty build-up, so it’s best for you to give your car a nice deep clean. Plus, the glorious season of spring comes with the tradition of spring cleaning, so you might as well add a thorough car wash to your to-do list. Make sure you swapped your winter tires out for your three-season rubber, since winter tires are not designed for use in warm temperatures. Driving on winter tires during warmer seasons makes your winter tires wear out much faster, and your vehicle’s road handling will suffer, too.
As we welcome the coming of spring time, do whatever rituals make you feel good. If that means spending a few days digging deep into every dusty crevice of your car’s interior, then do that. If that means letting your car sit out in the rain for free car washes, then do that! There’s no one right answer, but this slideshow compiles the Jalopnik audience’s answers to the question, what’s your most essential spring time car care ritual?
