Summer

Introduction

It’s that time of the year again when the sun is bright, the fruits are in full bloom and everyone just wants to spend time indoors and preferably in climate-controlled environment. Sounds like paradise? Well, we believe that your car would feel so too (if it had feelings). So, why not give it some love and care that would help it cope through the summer months Here then are some tips for keeping not just your car cool but yourself too while being out on the road.

Fully functioning AC

Nowadays, excluding the absolute base models of the A and A+ segment cars, every car is offered (as standard) with a basic air conditioning unit. You get various cool settings and fan speeds as a part of these units. Our top tip here is to ensure that your AC unit is in top working order as it will be the thing that keeps you cool in your car all summer. We recommend you take your car to your authorised service centre to ensure this is done professionally and as per the rules of your respective manufacturer.

Check coolant levels

While the AC keeps you cool, the coolant that the engine uses keeps it cool and this is why it is important that when you get your AC checked, check your coolant levels too. This should be done professionally as coolant is extremely toxic for human beings and should be handled only by trained and experienced hands.

Keeps shades

The Centre had banned the use of window tint in 2010 as a security measure and despite great advances in glass technology since then, the lack of a window tint is noticeable. To counter this, we would suggest you install suction-cup-mountable semi-transparent window shades. These comply with the law and at the same time also help you keep cool in the car.

Drink LOTS of water

You might be sitting in the car with AC on and keeping cool but this has a hidden consequence. Because your environment is essentially dry when you have the sun shining on you directly, dehydration sets in pretty quickly. Drink lots of water and if possible, get an electrolyte mix to ensure your body doesn’t lose precious minerals and vitamins during your drive. Try to avoid energy drinks as they will give you a boost initially but bring you crashing down once they wear off. A steady fluid intake might add a few extra bio-breaks to your journey but that’s just the way things are if you want to arrive at your destination without suffering a high level of fatigue.

Take a break every 2 hours

If you are driving for sustained periods, stop and take a break every two hours. Get out of the car and stretch your body in its entirety so that you do not get cramps anywhere. If you are sharing the drive with another person, then swap drivers every two hours so that you can keep your focus. When not driving, take the opportunity to take power naps so that you can rest your eyes and if you are sitting in the back always wear your seatbelt.

Invest in a good pair of sunglasses

If your budget permits, invest in a good pair of sunglasses that offers both polarisation and UV protection. To drive in the intensity of the sunlight is taxing on the eyes and this combined with an average screen time that’s doubled in the era of the smartphone, every benefit you can give your eyes prolongs their effectiveness.

Right tyres pressure

One of the key things to achieve good fuel efficiency is to keep your tyres on the right pressure. Every manufacturer has a recommended tyre pressure for the front and rear marked into the driver’s side door by means of stamping or a sticker. Maintaining the right tyre pressure will also give you better control, and prevent your tyres from overheating which would lead to damage to connected components like the wheels, brakes and body parts.

Don’t leave kids or pets locked in a parked car

The temperature inside a car parked out in the sun can sometimes be as much as five degrees higher than what it is outside and for most of India this is pretty lethal, even for an adult. So imagine then how this would be for a child or a pet that struggles to regulate its body temperature. This is why you should not leave children or pets locked in the car even with the AC on.

Park in the shade or keep a window slightly open

Lastly, we would advise you to park in a shady spot to ensure that your car keeps cool when it is parked. As a part of this, we would also advise you to leave one of the windows open by just a minor crack to ensure that there is some breeze coming through the car. However, ensure that this bit that you leave open is not large enough for someone to put their hands or any foreign object through.

#keepcoolanddriveon