To be a good driver is not only to drive a car skillfully. The owner of the vehicle should take care of its technical and visual condition and always have a set of products that will help cope with many traffic situations.
Spring is a great time to review your car accessories, remove what you don’t need and add what’s missing.
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Car Care Products
Winter is a period of harsh trials not only for drivers, but also for their cars. Temperature fluctuations, snowfall, road salt and slush certainly affect the condition of our cars.
Paint is one of the first things to suffer when faced with winter weather. It gets its glossy finish, blisters and chips appear in some places, the perfect environment for rust to develop. If you want to stop this phenomenon, your car needs to be thoroughly washed, inspected, and the weak spots reinforced with specialized products.
Winter is also the time when the interior is exposed to the most dirt. So when preparing your car for spring, you need to take care of this aspect as well. Cleaning or replacement of mats, removal of stains from upholstery, care of the dashboard and glasses – the complex of restoration measures should cover everything. Auto-cosmetic stores are starting to boom as car owners look to refresh their vehicles after winter to enjoy driving in the coming months.
Cordless car vacuum
If you add a compact car vacuum cleaner to your spring purchases, you’ll praise yourself more than once for this useful purchase. Small, handy and lightweight unit, with high suction power at the same time, effortlessly removes crumbs and debris in the cabin.
These units usually come with several interchangeable nozzles (including for cleaning carpets and upholstery), a flat-head hose for hard-to-reach areas, and an extension tube for cleaning under the seats.
Cover/tent
If you leave your car outdoors for a long time, it’s worth buying a waterproof cover to protect it from the weather.
During the cold season it will come in handy as protection from snow and frost, and during the warm season it will serve as a barrier from sunlight and bird droppings damaging the paintwork.
Caps
Salt, dirt, sand, and low temperatures accelerate wear and corrosion on steel rims. Winter damage can easily be repaired with new hubcaps.
Organizers
Can something as trivial as cleaning the cabin have a significant impact on your car’s performance? Yes, and more than we think. Use the first few sunny days to get your car in order. The first thing to do is to get rid of the things you’ve stocked up for the winter. Anti-slip chains, sand in a bag, de-icers and scrapers will no longer be needed. We’ll gain extra space and get rid of unnecessary ballast.
If you don’t want to deal with a bunch of little things hanging out haphazardly in the cabin and trunk, you need organizers – one of those items that will 100% improve your life while traveling.
The selection of such accessories is huge, from mesh pencil cases with hooks that fit over headrests to large folding baskets that allow you to keep things in the trunk in an orderly fashion. They are lightweight, flexible, have a number of compartments for large and small items, and take up virtually no space when not in use.
Naturally, every car should have a small toolbox. In it you should put thinner-than-winter work gloves; different sized wrenches, pliers, fasteners and clamps with which to make minor repairs, and more. Don’t forget to include a multi-tool and flashlight, necessary in many unexpected circumstances – springtime roads bring many surprises.
You might also be interested in compression bags: they’re great for dirty clothes/shoes and packing items tightly. If you’re planning a road trip with a wilderness hike, they also come in handy for neatly storing items in your backpack.
Wheel Locker
Spring sunshine disposes to walks, and during hours of travel, the driver and passengers can’t wait to stretch their legs. However, getting away from the car, even for a short time, increases the chances of its theft. Using a wheel lock (or steering wheel lock, if you prefer) may seem unnecessary, but better safe than sorry.
Wipers
In winter, wipers have to contend with falling snow and freezing rain. The rubber bands freeze to the glass or slide on the ice build-up, which often leads to their damage – deformation, bending, and even cracking of the wiper blades.
When spring arrives, it’s best to replace them – you won’t regret it when you’re trudging through spring and summer showers.
Portable Wash
Another useful thing for the diligent motorist is a cordless mini medium or high pressure washer. A pressure sprayer with several modes and nozzles of different sections is easy to work with, easy to carry and can be used anywhere, from watering the garden to removing sticky spring slush from the car.
The range in this niche is huge, from inexpensive “home” devices to professional complete systems, choose according to your needs and budget.