Protection from road salt for the holidays

With the holidays fast-approaching, it's time to start thinking about your plans to visit family or to go on a fun ski trip. Although road salt isn’t one of Floridians’ main concerns, it should be at the forefront of your holiday preparations━especially if you’re planning on driving up north in a snowy/icy climate. At Toyota of Orlando, we understand the need to take extra care of your car where salt is concerned, so we’ve compiled a list of our top tips to keep your vehicle looking and running great this winter season.

Tip #1: Make preparations during fall

Making an effort to prepare your car for cold weather during the fall is one of the best things you can do to avoid damage to your car’s exterior. Driving on road salted streets can be detrimental to your Orlando Toyota’s overall health. Be sure to thoroughly wash your car during the fall. Get rid of the current dirt and slap on a strong coat of wax. These will help to prevent incurring damage from salt kicking up to your vehicle’s paint job.

Tip #2: Fix paint blemishes ahead of time

Have one of our talented car specialists fix any current paint spots or blemishes at our Orlando body shop before your road trip. If left exposed, road salt can get in those spots and cause further damage. Rust and corrosion can happen quickly if the salt isn’t washed away immediately, so it’s best to avoid it altogether by getting these areas fixed before salt becomes an issue.

Tip #3: Wash your car regularly during winter

As we always suggest at Toyota of Orlando, regularly washing your car is important year round. It is especially important, however, to keep up with it every ten days or so in a snowy climate so as to avoid corrosion from salt and slush. This preventative measure is annoying, but necessary. It’s best to brave the cold for a little bit every week to two weeks in the winter to keep your car protected, rather than having a more costly problem arise upon returning home.

Tip #4: Stay away from salt trucks

Plow trucks are unavoidable when the ice and snow begin to hit. As they’re out there spreading salt around the roads to keep driving conditions safe, it is recommended to keep your distance. Those salt machines have got a job to do and don’t care about their surroundings, so try to stay back a decent stretch if you find yourself stuck behind one of these trucks. We don’t want your ride falling victim to the harsh hits from the road salt!

The holidays are expensive enough as it is, so let the experienced auto technicians at Toyota of Orlando keep those costs down by helping you prepare for your departure into the land of snow and road salt. Call us at (407) 298-0001 to schedule an appointment or stop by 3575 Vineland Rd just off I-4 near the Millenia Mall today!