RovingVagabond - Ride Care

30/03/2018

five crucial safety tips to help ensure that you, your family, pets and vehicle handle summer safely:

1. Monitor tire pressure: Check tires before and during long trips. For an accurate result, use your gauge when tires are cold, usually before driving in the morning or after you've been parked for a while.

2. Child and pet safety: Never leave children or pets alone in a vehicle, even with the car windows down. The interior temperature in a car or truck increases rapidly on hot days. It can soon exceed 100 degrees in the car. Be careful even when parked at home. Make sure to take your child and animals indoors with you, and don’t allow them to wait for you in the car. You could get a phone call, lose your keys temporarily or experience some other delay and forget them.

3. Use window shades to deter hot surfaces: Test vinyl seating surfaces and metal parts like safety belt buckles to prevent burns before placing your child in the car. Car shades are inexpensive, effective solutions to keep cool in extreme heat.

4. Check fluids: Flush and fill the vehicle’s cooling system on schedule to prevent overheating. Check the level, condition and color/concentration of coolant regularly. Be careful around the radiator cap. Don’t touch or remove it until the engine is cool.

5. Professional checkup: For automobile safety, there's no substitute for regular automotive checkups and fluid checks. Your mechanic should also inspect drive belts, hoses and clamps.

29/03/2018

Your Car's Paint Can Be Damaged by the Sun - 3 Ways to Prevent It

It's common knowledge that exposure to the ultraviolet (UV) rays of the sun damages human skin, but these powerful rays also oxidize and fade automobile paint and make a car look old and worn out before its time. You can prevent sun damage to car paint by keeping your vehicle inside a garage, under covered parking or in a shaded area when it's not on the road. By not leaving it to bake in the sun, you'll also protect the headlights and rubberized trim from damage.

- Proactive Care Tips to Keep Auto Paint Looking New;

You can mitigate damage from the sun's UV rays, caustic bird dropping and dead bugs and help keep your car's exterior in shiny showroom condition by taking the following steps:

1. Wash the car frequently. Before you start washing the car, make sure it's parked in a spot that's out of direct sunlight. First, hose off any accumulated grit and grime. Then, using a soft cotton mitt and a gentle automotive cleanser, give the car a bath. If there are areas where stubborn road tar or bug splatter won't come off easily, use an auto detailing clay bar to remove the deposits safely so you don't scratch the finish. When the exterior is clean, rinse it thoroughly to remove any cleaning product residue.
2. Hand dry the exterior. Drying your car by hand with a chamois or cotton rag is time consuming, but it's an essential step if you want to keep the exterior looking good. If you just let the car air dry, the paint is left vulnerable to spot damage caused by the naturally-occurring minerals in the water you used for washing.
3. Apply a high-quality wax. If you really want your car to shine, there's nothing better than a bath and hand drying followed by a luxurious coat of wax. Waxing is the critical final step to prevent sun damage to car paint from ultraviolet radiation and help stop pollution, grit and dirt from adhering to the finish and causing pitting.

29/03/2018

Keep your car cool in the summer with;

1. Use a sunshade or window visor

2. Use a dash cover

3. Cover your steering wheel with a hand towel

4. Park in a shady area

5. Keep your precious possessions out of the sun

6. Park in a garage when possible

7. Keep windows slightly cracked

8. Purchase a solar-powered fan

9. Throw blankets over your seats

For more details visit - https://www.angieslist.com/articles/9-tips-keep-your-car-cooler-during-summer.htm

06/01/2017

NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS for a car enthusiast / Motorheads..

06/01/2017

Would like to wish all you car enthusiasts a very happy new year and all the best for 2017!

18/07/2016

Make your car monsoon ready..

http://www.DesertCarCare.com Frank Leutz with Desert Car Care helps you prepare your car for the Arizona monsoon season. Learn what you can do to protect you...

18/07/2016

A video explanation of how to drive in heavy rains.

Tips for driving in the rain, brought to you by Ford Service. This video is part of the Extreme Weather Driving Tips series brought to you by Ford Service, y...

18/07/2016

Tips for Driving In Rain (its a long post, take time to read it as it might help you ride safe in Rain)

1.) First and foremost: slow down! It takes longer to stop or adjust in wet weather.
2.) Stay toward the middle lanes - water tends to pool in the outside lanes.
3.) Maintain proper following distance (3 Second Rule). This needs to be increased in wet weather.
4.) Drive in the tracks of a car ahead of you.
5.) Don't follow large trucks or busses too closely. The spray created by their large tires reduces your vision. Take care when passing them as well; if you must pass, do so quickly and safely.
6.) Be more alert when driving in wet or slippery conditions. Watch out for brake lights in front of you.
7.) Avoid using your brakes; if possible, take your foot off the accelerator to slow down.
8.) Turn your headlights on even in a light rain, or in gloomy, foggy or overcast conditions. Not only do they help you see the road, but they'll help other drivers see you. If your car has daytime running lights you still should put them on, so vehicles behind you can see you better.
9.) Before it starts to rain, replace old or brittle wipers.
10.) Avoid off-road driving: it's hard to judge the actual depth of puddles and you can easily become stuck, even in an SUV.
11.) Never drive beyond the limits of visibility. At night rainy roads become especially treacherous. The glare of oncoming lights, amplified by the rain on your windscreen, can cause temporary loss of visibility while substantially increasing driver fatigue. In rainy conditions pedestrians, livestock, and wildlife are extremely hard to spot and even harder to avoid.
12.) Never drive through moving water if you can't see the ground through it; your car could be swept off the road.
13.) When driving through a puddle of uncertain depth, go slow. If it's deeper than the bottom of your doors, turn around and find another route. Deep water can cause serious damage to a modern car's electrical system.
14.) Avoid splashing pedestrians.
15.) If possible, stay off the road during heavy thunderstorms. Large flashes of lightning can temporarily blind and disorient drivers, and the accompanying high winds and heavy rain can create deadly driving conditions.

24/05/2016

Car care tips for monsoon, car parts which need upmost attention this season are:

Tyres
Wipers And Washer
Brakes
Body
Electricals
Interiors

TYRES
Making sure that the tyres are in excellent condition before the monsoons arrive is of utmost importance. The tread depth should be good enough or else they are likely to skid over slippery surfaces due to aquaplaning. The tire tread depth should not be less than 2 mm. Rubber has a tendency to soften when coming in contact with water so one should check the tyre pressure regularly and inflate it to the pressure recommended by the manufacturer. This regular check will not only ensure better driving comfort but good tyre life as well.

WIPERS & WASHERS
Wiper blades have a tendency to wear out very fast. Within a year the rubber strip becomes useless and it is recommended to change it every year before the monsoons begin. One should ensure that the rubber is not hard and does not have cracks as they will scratch the windscreen. Do check that the wipers are working properly at all the three speeds. The washer bottle should be filled up and if you want you can add a mild detergent which will help keep the windshield glass clean and oil free.

BRAKES
Brake calipers are the most crucial part of a car and you should regularly clean and replace, if needed, the calipers to keep them dirt free. Brakes should not be too tight or too loose and you should keep using them as water will most likely wet the brake drums, therefore reducing braking efficiency. One small tip for drying out brakes is by placing your left foot on the brake pedal and gently moving the throttle in, using your right foot. Carrying out this operation immediately after wading through water will ensure it has not gotten stuck to the brake discs/drums.

BODY
Rainwater is slightly acidic in nature and can damage the car’s body of it is exposed to it for extended periods of time. Protect your car’s body from rain and apply a good wax polish. The wax will not only protect the paint but will also allow water to roll off easily. Greasing all the door hinges is also necessary. To prevent rusting on exposed metal parts, you can spray anti-moisture spray like WD40, Zorric, Rusklick etc. If the rubber lining on the doors is falling loose, replace them before the rains start.

ELECTRICALS
Rainwater is slightly acidic in nature and can damage the car’s body of it is exposed to it for extended periods of time. Protect your car’s body from rain and apply a good wax polish. The wax will not only protect the paint but will also allow water to roll off easily. Greasing all the door hinges is also necessary. To prevent rusting on exposed metal parts, you can spray anti-moisture spray like WD40, Zorric, Rusklick etc. If the rubber lining on the doors is falling loose, replace them before the rains start.

INTERIORS
At times, water flows into the cabin area and damages the carpets and flooring. Place another set of mats(old mats) so that they soak up the dirty water. And it is better to use fabric mats than rubber mats. Use a vacuum cleaner to clean the car regularly so that there is no bad odour left and in case your seats get wet, keep the windows open so that no fungus develops over there.

Wish you all a safe and comfortable drive during the rains..

12/05/2016

Today's Gyan:

While washing your car you should start from the top and then slowly gradually reach bottom (follow the steps in the picture).. Happy washing..

11/05/2016

Today's Gyan:

AUTOMATIC CAR WASHES CAN CAUSE DAMAGE TO YOUR CAR

After using an automatic car wash, have you ever noticed damage to your car? It can be anything from swirls to scratches. Why this happens is because automatic car wash centers use equipment that is damaged from washing several cars a day but they do not repair or replace the equipment. A lot of the times, they use cheap products which can cause damage to the paint of your car. Moreover, many times there are dirty cars that come in the car wash and leave their dirt behind on the brush or cloth that will scrub your car next. This causes further damage to your car paint. If you care about how your car looks, I would recommend washing it yourself to avoid these minor dings that add up.

09/05/2016

Today's Gyan:

Kind of products to be used & not to be used while cleaning your car

Don't... use household cleaning agents like hand soap, dishwashing detergent, or glass cleaner on the paint. These aren't formulated for use on a car's paint and may strip off the protective wax.

Do... use a dedicated car-wash product, which is milder and specifically designed for use on automotive paint. Apply the suds with a large, soft natural sponge or a lamb's-wool mitt.

Brake dust, grease, rubber, and road-tar deposits picked up from the road often accumulate around the wheel wells and along the lower edge of the body. These can be stubborn to remove and may require a stronger product, such as a bug-and-tar remover. Use a soft, nonabrasive cloth to remove these deposits, as they can quickly blacken your sponge.

Do... use a separate sponge to clean the wheels and tires, which may be coated with sand, brake dust, and other debris that could mar the car's finish. Mild soap and water may work here; if not, a dedicated wheel cleaner may be required. Be sure the cleaner is compatible with the type of finish (paint, clear-coat, chrome, etc.) used on the wheels. A strong formula intended for mag wheels, for instance, can damage the clear coat that's used on the wheels that come on today's cars. To be on the safe side, choose a cleaner that's labeled as safe for use on all wheels (or you can also use hair shampoo for the wheels).