If you’re a snowbird with a property and car in Southwest Florida, you probably expect to find your vehicle in the same condition as when you left it. Unfortunately, the harsh Florida environment with its humidity and saltwater can rapidly take its toll on an automobile, even when it’s garage kept.
Here are some of the problems that commonly occur:
- Mold and mildew – once you have a mold problem in an automobile it is present for life and will require regular cleaning and disinfecting to keep it under control. The only way to prevent mold and mildew is to run a vehicle regularly, air it out and disinfect the A/C vents to prevent mold growth from condensation in a warm, humid environment.
- Pressure build up in the A/C compressor that causes it to seize and fail – running the A/C system regularly will prevent this problem.
- Dry rot, cracking and fading on your dash and interior moldings. Rubber seals and weather-stripping experience dry rot as a high moisture environment in Florida combined with the salt air can damage these surfaces beyond repair. A monthly silicone spray treatment can help with this problem.
- Poor performance from gasoline deterioration. Gas treated with a stabilizer additive in a full tank can prevent deterioration.
- Engine corrosion and wire dry rot. Spraying the engine compartment with a protectant / lubricant can prevent this deterioration.
- Flat spots on your tires. Under inflated tires risk developing flat spots which break down the integrity of the sidewalls and can lead to tread separation. Ideally you want to over inflate tires by no more than 10 PSI to prevent these flat spots from forming in the first place. Remember to return them to manufactures specifications prior to driving as over inflated tires can be just as dangerous as under inflated tires.
- A dead or drained battery – As a rule, batteries last on average three to four years in our tropical Florida environment. Even a disconnected battery will drain. The best way to retard this transient draining process is to take the vehicle out for a monthly drive.
Engines today are a complex blend of high-performance machinery and technology and are not designed to be left inoperative for extensive periods of time. Gaskets can dry out and crack, as well as hoses, wires and belts. Cars need to be RUN regularly. Simply starting a vehicle just won’t do. You want your vehicle to be operating properly at proper operating temperature at least once a month to ensure its performance when you get here.
The Auto Nanny 10-Point Car Car Maintenance Solution
What would it mean to you if you can have your automobile maintained for you? You could avoid all of these problems and enjoy your vacation time to the max. This is where Auto Nanny maintenance packages can keep your car in optimum condition, delivered to you squeaky clean and with peak performance whenever you arrive in Florida. We provide all the 10-point services above to keep you out of the garage with expensive repairs. And we can even save you more time with Auto Nanny auto valet services where we deliver your car on arrival at all SW Florida airports and/or pick up your vehicle when you depart.
