9 handy tips to help monsoon-proof your car

Monsoon-proof car

With the monsoon just around the corner and pre-monsoon drizzles already making their presence felt, you must be gearing up to change your wardrobe and protect your house from the rains. But is your favourite speed machine ready for the season? the guide gives you a few pre-monsoon car care tips:

Check-up and servicing: Pre-monsoon servicing is the most essential thing to do. Your car must have gone through scorching heat during long drives during the summer. Hence, it is important to make it ready to face clogged, watery roads in heavy traffic zones which come naturally with the rains. Ensure safe drive during the monsoons.

Avoid skidding: Replace cracked tyres, check air pressure and make sure the wheels are properly balanced and aligned. This will prevent your car from skidding on a wet road. This is all the more necessary when the first shower arrives.

Check the brakes: Make sure that your car brakes are well-oiled and are working properly. You never know when you may have to hit the brakes on a wet, slippery road.

Frame protection from rust and corrosion: Your car's metal frame protects the internal components from moisture. So keep it clean and scratch-free to avoid corrosion. As you are well aware, water corrodes metal.

Protect your car's paint: Do get a wax coating done just before the rains hit, to protect your cars' paint from the rain. Alternate wet and dry spells can cause the paint to fade
and peel.

Check your cars' headlights and taillights: Ensure that these are working properly as during a heavy downpour, visibility is poor, not only for you but also for the driver behind you.

Keep a portable vacuum cleaner handy: You cannot avoid that excess amount of water going inside your car during the rains. Mostly, the seat covers get affected by it. Prolonged dampness on the covers may cause foul smell and quality loss of the seat covers. To avoid it, vacuum-clean the seat to wipe away the dampness. Then put good absorbent tissues/papers on them. If you have a shaded place, keep the car doors open for few minutes to air-dry the interior and remove any smell.

Get a car perfume: Foul smell is literally a headache for the automobile lovers during the monsoon. Moisture creates mould which is not hygienic either. Humidity worsens the situation. In this case, always keep a good pleasant smelling perfume in the car. Check your carpets and mats for the odour.

Use old seat covers and mats especially for the monsoon: What's the point in spoiling brand new expensive covers anyway? You can also remove the mats completely for the season.

(With inputs by Vinay Sanghi, founder and CEO, Cartrade.com)