Fall has finally arrived, meaning summer is the rear-view mirror and the days are set to cooler and shorter as we head towards winter. This presents the perfect opportunity to conduct some regular vehicle maintenance, with the changing seasons having various effects on our vehicles.

Winter has many challengers for drivers and their vehicles, which is why its so important to be prepared ahead of time during the Fall!

Here are 6 vehicle maintenance tasks you should check off your list this Fall:

Get an Oil Change

Your oil level may be okay for now but the colder weather does make oil more susceptible to freezing while the engine will neutrally be colder, so you need to be well-lubricated to remain in top condition for the coming months.

Remember, oil needs to be changed every 5,000 miles and you’ve likely clocked up a large portion of these during the summer months, especially if you’ve done some traveling. It’s always good to have a fresh oil change during the fall to ensure everything is working well into winter.

Make Sure Heaters and Defrosters Work

As you can imagine, your heaters are going to be on more often during Fall and into winter, so always check to see these are working as expected, especially if you’ve not turned them on throughout the summer.

Similarly, check defrosters to ensure they are working – the last thing you want is a frozen windshield that you need to get out and scrape in a cold fall morning!

Check Battery

A combination of colder weather and using heaters more often means the vehicle’s battery is under more strain come the fall. So, it’s a good idea to take the battery to get checked and replaced, if necessary. You can also clean the connections to ensure the wire is properly connected.

Check Lights

If you haven’t checked all your lights by the end of summer, then now is the time to do so. Fall means shorter days and longer nights, so your lights are going to be used more frequently and you’ll want to make sure they all work.

Check everything including headlines, brake lights, emergency lights and taillights to ensure they work, and no bulbs need to be replaced. Consider cleaning them too as there may be a build-up of dust, dirt, and dead bugs from the summer months.

Clean or Replace Windshield Wipers

You may not have used your windshield wipers during the summer but that’s probably going to change come fall. Wipers need to be clean and unbroken, otherwise they won’t clear the windshield properly and could cause a huge safety risk when driving in the rain.

So, check the windshield wipers for signs of wearing or any cracks, replacing immediately if they appear damaged.

Check Tires

Tires need to be in good condition for fall and winter because the road conditions are more hazardous. Check the pressure levels and get them filled with air if too low, while also inspecting the treads for signs of wearing, replacing if necessary.

Plaza Towing has been serving the roadside and vehicle transporting needs of Coachella Valley since 1969.  With locations in Palm Desert and Indio, and a fleet of over 30 tow trucks, Plaza Towing is able to handle every roadside service challenge and meet every towing need.  Offering light duty towing, medium duty towing, heavy duty towing, specialized trailer transport, and private party impounds, one or more of our tow vehicles are always out on the road providing quality service to both individual and commercial customers somewhere in Coachella Valley.  Readily available 24/7/365, contact Plaza Towing to get a truck dispatched to your location either now, or at a planned time of your choosing.  Reach us online, or call us now at (866) 775-4314!

The post 6 Vehicle Maintenance Tasks You Should Do In The Fall appeared first on Plaza Towing.

We all have preconceptions about things that we’ve never used before. The towing industry sees this more than most, as not many people ever need to use the services of a tow truck company, instead hearing stories about you can and can’t expect from the service.

A lot of people know what to expect from a tow truck company. If you need roadside assistance, whether from a crash or car troubles, you can call a tow truck company for help. They can conduct repairs onsite or tow the truck away as needed, while also offering other types of roadside help such as getting a driver back in the car after locking themselves out.

On the other hand, there are some things that you shouldn’t expect a towing company to do. Some are misconceptions that you might have heard about towing companies; others are simply services that they don’t offer that you may have thought they did.

To give you a peace of mind on the road and avoid any confusion in the future, don’t expect a towing company to do these 4 things:

Overcharge You

This is perhaps the biggest misconception about a tow truck company – that they overcharge you for the service. While there are probably a few bad apples out there, most towing companies stick to fair pricing models, otherwise they won’t find much success as a business.

Now, towing services can seem expensive but that doesn’t mean you’ve been overcharged. When you break down the cost of roadside recovery, the fees charged make a lot more sense. For instance, costs include hiring the truck (an expensive vehicle to operate), distance travelled, the tow operator’s etc.

Make You Pay Upfront

Again, a few towing companies may request cash payment up front, but this doesn’t mean you should expect them all to do this.

A good towing company understands that most customers are in an emergency situation and require help first and foremost, so it shouldn’t be hard to find a towing company that will invoice you the bill after assisting you.

Ignore Your Call Because It’s Night

This is another common thing that some people think but don’t expect a tow truck company to turn away your call because it is night-time. Companies know that auto accidents can occur at inopportune moments, so always need to be available 24/7.

Not Assisting Non-Damaged Vehicles

Tow truck companies can assist with much more than just vehicle recover. In fact, a common misconception is that you can only call for assistance if the vehicle is damaged in some way – this is simply not true!

Tow truck companies can assist with all kinds of roadside problems, such as bringing fuel to standard drivers, helping the driver gain access when locked out of the car, or even just a standard battery jump.

Plaza Towing has been serving the roadside and vehicle transporting needs of Coachella Valley since 1969.  With locations in Palm Desert and Indio, and a fleet of over 30 tow trucks, Plaza Towing is able to handle every roadside service challenge and meet every towing need.  Offering light duty towing, medium duty towing, heavy duty towing, specialized trailer transport, and private party impounds, one or more of our tow vehicles are always out on the road providing quality service to both individual and commercial customers somewhere in Coachella Valley.  Readily available 24/7/365, contact Plaza Towing to get a truck dispatched to your location either now, or at a planned time of your choosing.  Reach us online, or call us now at (866) 775-4314!

The post Don’t Expect a Towing Company to Do These 4 Things appeared first on Plaza Towing.

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