We are all ready for fall’s cooler weather, but our vehicles need a little preparation for the change of seasons.
Robert Lowe, the franchise owner of Christian Brothers in Argyle, has more than 40 years of experience in auto repair, serving in a variety of roles. He opened the Christian Brothers shop in January at 205 Stella St.
He offered some must-do tips to get your vehicle ready for fall and the upcoming winter.
Winterize
With our mostly mild winters and only a few days staying below freezing for more than just a few hours, the word winterize draws some quizzical looks locally. But Lowe said there are still some basics you need to do to prepare.
“When you say winterize in Texas, people kind of roll their eyes. If we were in Michigan, everyone knows exactly what they need to be doing,” Lowe said. “You get new antifreeze, a new battery and change all the hoses. But here in Texas, you still want to winterize your vehicle. You want to get your antifreeze tested with what’s called a reagent strip. We can tell you what its boiling point is, and what’s the freezing point. You also definitely want to get your battery tested. If the summer heat didn’t ruin the battery, the cold coming up definitely will, if it’s more than three to four years old.”
Lowe added the extreme heat this summer was especially tough on batteries.
Check your tires
The string of days of 110-degree days turned the asphalt into an oven baking your tires.
As the climate changes with cooler temperatures and the rain returns to produce wet roads, it’s time to check your tires.
“Your tire pressures are going to get lower just because the temperature outside is down,” Lowe said. “You’re definitely going to want to get your tire pressure checked and adjusted.”
Look at your belts and hoses
The belts and hoses under your hood are made of rubber and the heat takes on a toll on them.
“Generally speaking if your vehicle is three to four years old, it’s a real good idea to take a look at those things and check to make sure they are not about to break,” Lowe said. “It’s a lot less expensive to replace a belt now than when you’re stuck on the side of the road.”
A comprehensive once-over
The start of the fall is also a good time to have a routine check of your entire vehicle. Christian Brothers offers a courtesy inspection.
“We don’t charge for it. We do the vehicle plan. We check everything from the lights and bulbs to the hoses, belts, filters and all the fluids,” Lowe said. “All that is put together in an electronic report that we send the customer. We talk to them on the phone and discuss what we’ve discovered. If I were to recommend anything to anybody coming into the cooler months, it would be to let us do the courtesy inspection on the vehicle.”
Christian Brothers in Argyle offers a 10 percent discount to Argyle and Northwest teachers along with first responders and military personnel.