Advisory: How To Prepare your Car this Monsoon

The onset of Moonsons will definitely bring respite from the heatwave that has lambbasted us for over the last couple of months. The result being that there will be a drop in temperature, the air will feel fresher while our trees and surroundings would turn green once again. Having said that, in our concrete jungle (metropolitan cities) the story become very much different as we offcourse enjoy the change but are faced with complications such as waterlogging, broken roads and traffic jams. Incase of excessive rain, there is the concern of floods which is an entirely different topic of discussion. For now, let us turn our attention to what all needs to be done in order to keep your vehicles safe during this monsoon. What we have got for you here today are a few essential tips on 'How to prepare your car this Monsoon Season'.  
 
Tyres:

Tyres are the main contact point between the surface of the road and the vehicle. Therefore they need to be in the perfect condition especially during the monsoon. This is the time when a slippery surface, in this case the road can cause an accident due to the sliding of your vehicle. For that, the life of your rubber on the wheels need to be in good shape apart from the fact that driving through these conditions require a fair bit of caution. First and foremost check the tread on your car tyres, it needs to have a minimum of 1mm depth in the rubber.  How can one check this? Well insert a Rs 1 coin in the tread of the tyre and observe if the year printed on the coin’s bottom gets hidden. If it is hidden, you have enough tread and if not, it is time to change the tyres before the monsoon sets in. Over and above this all, check the tyre pressure on a weekly basis as they tend to lose air while being in use. 

 Wipers:

In monsoon season, wipers play a very important role in providing the driver a clear view of the road ahead. Thus it is imperative to check their condition before the advent of rains. The blades need to retain their sharpness and moreover to check their optimum fitness use the wiper once. If there are water droplets left on the windscreen that means the blades are almost at the end of their life. In such scenarios, visit your nearest authorised dealer and get them replaced. 

Washer Fluid:

Washer fluid is essential to keep the windscreen clean during the rainy season. Therefore it is a must to keep it topped up at all times. For best results, we would suggest that you use an aftermarket washing liquid solution that can be mixed in water. What this would do is wash and clean the surface of the windscreen thereby removing all the dirt and fuel sediments which tend to stick to the glass. As a result, you will get a much cleaner windscreen and vision of the road ahead. In case you have a premium car, then the wiper with its washer fluid towards the rear can also help in providing a better vision of the vehicles behind you.

Plastic or Rubber Mats:

We highly recommend the use of plastic or rubber mats especially during this season. They help protect the interior part of the floor of your vehicle from water that tends to come in with your shoes. Rather than having fabric mats, one should use these so that water does not percolate to the floor which could result in fungus, bacteria and a foul smell. A desi-remedy: use newspaper on top of these mats as they soak in water immediately and are easy to dispose of. Otherwise one needs to go through the entire exercise of washing the mat and leaving outside to dry only after which it could be put inside for reuse.       

 Anti Rust Coating:

What is anti rust coating? It is a coating that is applied to the underbody of your vehicle to protect it against corrosion. This is a must for each and every car owner in the country. In case you do not have it, we suggest you to get it down from your authorised service center. Though the best commended thing to do is to opt for it the moment you buy a new vehicle. Normally there is a 3 to 5 years warranty on the coating that helps in keeping the car protected.  

Covers:

Having a car cover is a good thing for the summer season, however in the case of rains it is highly not recommended. This is because once the surface of your vehicle is wet then the cover tends to stick on it. Moreover while putting on and taking it off there are chances that you might damage the paint of the car due to dusty particles and stone granules that are already deposited on the surface of the cover. So it is best not to use it at all.   

AC Servicing:

With a change in the season, it is recommended that you get your vehicle's AC serviced. This will keep all the components in good working condition and also help in removing the moisture being created in the cabin. It also helps regulate the temperature inside the car while outside the weather might be on the cooler side. In order to demystify the rear windscreen one could perhaps use the defogger.  

Headlamps:

Be it day or night, during this time of the year your car headlamps need to be in a good condition. They should be able to emit light without any issue especially at night. For  that keep a check on the life of the halogen bulb that powers the headlamps of your vehicle. Once done, also check the outer plastic of the headlamps as they tend to lose their clarity over time. There is a tendency of the plastic to become old in which case one can perhaps clean them by applying some white toothpaste. How to do it? Well apply and rub the paste in a circular motion. When done, use a wet cloth to wipe the toothpaste off the headlamp. This process will ensure that the lights are restored to their new shines as before.

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