Cupcakes Car Wash is located at 2452 U.S 41 in Marquette Township. Car care has become important as springtime has arrived. (Journal photo by Travis Nelson)

MARQUETTE — The weather might not always cooperate, but spring is here. Thoughts might go to spring cleaning or to the start of golf season. But what’s more important is that you see through your car having a seamless transition from the winter into the warm weather months.

The biggest thing that people should do to get their cars prepared for spring is switching out winter tires, Quality Car Care Center Service Writer Mike Grange said. If you don’t have winter tires, then you should be looking at the condition of your tires to make sure they’re ready to hit the road, he added.

“In addition to that, you’re looking at services, oil changes, fluid changes,” Grange said. “If you’re planning a road trip, a general checkover of the vehicle, make sure the breaks are in good shape, lights are working, wiper blades before you hit the road.”

Not only is checking your car for anything that could be wrong important now, it’s something that should be done regularly.

“Oh definitely, general maintenance is a key to keeping your vehicle on the road and working operational,” Grange said. “Paying attention to noises and getting oil changes done on a regular basis allows technicians to do a visual inspection and to see if there’s any potential problems upcoming.”

The exterior of a vehicle is just as important as the interior, and that means a car wash. The most important thing that people can do with the warmer weather upcoming is to get the salt out of underneath their vehicle, Cup Cakes Car Wash Owner Kevin Moyle said. The one way to do that is to go through a car wash with an undercarriage which gets the salt out, he added.

“The biggest thing is with most people, it’s the looks,” Moyle said. “But I think the biggest thing is once the salt is on there, if you can get that off, you’re going to stop that erosion and that’s the most important thing.”

What getting the salt out also does, is that it helps to get the salt off the outside of the vehicle too. Moyle recommends that you get a code of wax and sealant on after the car is soaped and any salt that’s on the glass or paint is neutralized.

The spring and summer bring out the best in cars to the eye, but those simple things behind the scenes will make your car stand out even more.

Travis Nelson can be reached at tranelso@nmu.edu.