Spring
A thorough clean
If you're one of those people who clean the car only once a year, "whether it needs it or not", then now's the best time to do it. After months of winter neglect a thorough clean now will help to maintain the car's value and reduce the risk of long-term corrosion damage.
Interior
It's quite possible that the inside of your car's not dried out properly all through the winter as wet shoes and clothes keep bringing moisture in but there's not been the heat or ventilation to dry it out. Discoloured upholstery, rotted carpets and general shabbiness can seriously reduce a car's resale value.
Remove loose mats before vacuuming the carpets. Shampoo them if necessary, but avoid using too much water and make sure the carpets are fully dried. Ideally choose a warm sunny day when doors and windows can be left open - but only if you can keep a close watch on the vehicle as the risk of theft is high.
Wet patches under the carpets are a sure sign of rain water penetration. The cause should be investigated thoroughly as, in time, this could lead to serious corrosion. The point of water entry can be difficult to locate and will normally need expert attention.
Proprietary cleaners are available for upholstery, trim and roof linings, but make sure that a suitable one is used for each material. Again avoid using too much water, do a test on a small patch to avoid any mistakes and follow instructions carefully.
Interior glass and painted metal surfaces require only clean water and a chamois leather, though a final clean of all the glass with a proprietary glass cleaner is worth the extra effort.
Exterior
Winter grime on the paint work should be removed with warm water and a suitable car shampoo. Start on the roof and work your way down and around the car, allowing stubborn dirt at the bottom to soak. Pay particular attention to door undersides and sills and make sure that all the shampoo is fully rinsed off before drying the car.
Any minor areas of corrosion, stone chips etc should be attended to at this stage as they will surely get worse if left. Areas of extensive corrosion are best left to the experts though.
Small stone chip touch-up kits are available from most accessory shops. Take your time and you will be pleasantly surprised with the standard of finish which can be achieved.
Polish offers some paint work protection and on older vehicles will help to restore any loss of gloss. Use a good quality polish and follow the manufacturer's instructions.
Underside
The underside of the car takes the worst of the winter weather. Mud soaks-up salt laden spray and, if left, will cause corrosion over time.
Assuming that there's not a hosepipe ban in your area, hose down the entire underside of the car, paying particular attention to the front and rear wheel arch areas. When dry inspect for any signs of damage to the underbody sealing compound. There are DIY products available if you're confident and know what you're doing otherwise it's best to get a garage to attend to any damage. If the vehicle's under a long-term corrosion warranty, bear in mind that the terms might specify how such repairs should be carried out. If in doubt consult with your local dealer.
Whilst checking the wheel arches have a close look at the tyres too. The legal minimum tread depth is 1.6mm, but we recommend for safety reasons that tyres are replaced before the tread gets down to 2mm. Look for faults such as cuts, splits or bulges too and have any damaged or worn tyres replaced. Don't forget the spare.
And Finally
Before the start of any long journey and ideally every week check the engine oil level, radiator level, windscreen washer level and tyre pressures, including the spare. The vehicle handbook should show you clearly how to do all of these.
Ten minutes or so spent carrying out a few basic checks could make sure you reach your destination as planned and not delayed because of a breakdown.