July 2nd is “I Forgot Day!” At AA Muffler & Brakes, we know how easy it can be for basic car maintenance tasks to slip our minds. Especially when it’s summertime, and you have much better things to do than worry about taking your car into the shop for a routine inspection. However, it is important not to forget about these five maintenance tips because they will help you avoid costly, and often unnecessary, car repair services.
Summer: Return of the Potholes
Summer has returned to Michigan, and with it returns the potholes (let’s be honest though, did they ever really go away?). Potholes occur when water seeps into pavement through cracks and softens the soil underneath. This results in a depression, or even a cave-in, of the street surface. Many potholes form in areas with excessive rainfall and flooding, or during winter and spring due to the freeze-thaw cycles. The fluctuation in weather this last winter and spring has resulted in a lot of that freezing and thawing, which accelerates the formation of potholes.
Summer Michigan Road Trips
Summer is well under-way here in the Mitten State, and there is truly no better time than now for a road trip! Onlyinyourstate.com recently compiled a list of the 10 best Michigan road trips; this list contains amazing road trips for every season and we’ve picked out five which are perfectly suited for the summer months!
Heat Awareness Day
Motorcycle Awareness Month
Green Auto Tips for Earth Day
Invest your Tax Return in One of Your Biggest Purchases - Your Car
April Showers Bring....An Increased Risk of Hydroplaning?
Shopping for Tires
Your vehicle’s tires do a lot of work. They move and stop your car, and on rough driving surfaces, they provide a cushion. Regular maintenance of your vehicle’s tires is just as important as regular oil changes and brake checks. So before you start shopping for tires, you should know why you need them. Most of the time, your car is just due for new tires. There are times, however, when you find yourself in need of new tires for other reasons.
Daylight Savings is March 12
Salt Corrosion
If you live in a colder climate, like we do here in Brighton, MI, your car or truck will be exposed to road salt for a significant portion of the year. While this keeps the roads passable when the snow starts to fall, salt is corrosive – which is not good news for your vehicle’s exhaust system. Many exhaust systems suffer from rust due to this corrosion.
Fleet Services
You have a slow leak
Here’s the scenario:
You stop at a gas station and notice that one of your tires is a little flat. You fill it with air and drive away. Much to your annoyance, within a couple of days or maybe even a week, your tires are flattening again, and they need more air. You have a slow leak. You take your tires to a garage or a tire shop, but they can’t find anything wrong. They might even dunk your tire into a tub of water to look for bubbles. Still nothing.
Seeing is Believing When it Comes to Road Safety
Holiday Road Trip Three P's That Won’t Bust the Budget
Passing the Torch
I want you to take a moment and think back to when you first started driving all those years ago. I'm sure you remember how exciting and liberating it felt at the time. But as the years went by and you gained more experience driving around, you gradually began to notice just how dangerous the road can really be when you're not careful.