So what did your car do over the summer vacation besides Bust Bugs and Burn Gas?
The Devil went down to Georgia… and he obviously has a summer home
here. After driving through the hottest summer I can remember as a
“Peach”, glistening mightily (because we southern gals don’t sweat, we
“glisten”), I started worrying about just what this inferno has been
doing to my car. After a lengthy chat with my favorite automotive
expert, Tim Presnell, I learned exactly what could happen, and what to
do about it.
Hot Seats: Short
skirts, August and leather seats are a wicked combination. To prevent
this “butt-burn”, keep a towel handy to place on the seat after you get
out of the car, to avoid this little unpleasantry. Your thighs will
thank you for it!
Every 3500 miles, change your
oil, and top off all fluids. My friend Debbie Sue thought she could buy
a car, and just drive it until it breaks. She is so mad about the
sunburn she got while waiting beside I-85 yesterday for the tow truck…
Average
temperature inside your car after 2 hours at 95 degrees is 200! So, if
you have a stink that you can’t quite find, just throw some cookie
dough on the dashboard before you get out… you’ll have a sweet ride
home, and a snack for the traffic jam…
Tires
need extra attention. High rates of speed coupled with searing heat
from the road can not only deflate your tires faster - decreasing your
gas MPG - but also expand the metal reinforcements in the rubber,
causing a nasty blowout.
Window
tinting can come in quite handy. Not only does it keep the interior of
your car about 50 degrees cooler, it keeps the guy next to you from
staring into your window… and you can just go on about your driving
makeup application without a care in the world.
Accessorize
with a fabulous sun shade for your windshield. It only takes a few
seconds to put this up, and protects your dashboard and steering wheel
from cracking… which goes a long way for the trade-in value of your car.
Ventilate
your vehicle by leaving the windows cracked. Just one inch can drop the
interior temperature several degrees, and keep internal pressure from
building. It won’t keep your lipstick from melting, but it will keep
your hairspray from exploding…
Emergency
necessities such as a cell phone, some sunscreen, and a few bottles of
water should always be kept inside your car, as well as an insulated
bag for groceries, and a first aid kit.
So, while we glisten and
pray for October so we can finally wear the fabulous Fall Fashions that
we’ve already bought, just remember…
If the "Devil Wears Prada"… you can bet your flaming asphalt She’s got some cool designer seat covers!
Ciao-
Ginger the “G”
