{"id":2436,"date":"2020-05-08T16:41:27","date_gmt":"2020-05-08T16:41:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.quincymutual.com\/blog\/?p=2436"},"modified":"2023-11-07T16:02:22","modified_gmt":"2023-11-07T16:02:22","slug":"the-importance-of-car-maintenance-during-a-driving-hiatus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.quincymutual.com\/blog\/the-importance-of-car-maintenance-during-a-driving-hiatus\/","title":{"rendered":"The Importance of Car Maintenance During a Driving Hiatus"},"content":{"rendered":"

For many of us as we help to flatten the curve, our cars have been sitting in the garage, driveway, or on the street for several weeks now \u2014 leading to a <\/span>spike in the number of dead batteries according to AAA throughout April<\/span><\/a>. And, for many states here in New England, we still may have several more weeks to go before most employees return to their businesses and life begins to pick back up again.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Whether you head back out on the road soon or your car remains idle for the time being, it\u2019s important to continue regular maintenance to avoid any issues once you start racking up the miles again.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To help ensure your car runs smoothly when the time comes, you may want to consider performing these maintenance tasks over the next few weeks.<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Drive your car at least once a week for at least 10 miles. By doing this, you help reduce the risk of a dead battery and also reduce risk of wear on the part of your tires on the ground when parked for long periods of time. Also, you\u2019ll be able to check the key systems of your vehicle \u2014 suspension, transmission, power steering, and breaks.<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Keep your fuel tank full and add a gasoline stabilizer. This helps extend the life of the fuel and can prevent the buildup of condensation.<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Inflate your tires to the vehicle manufacturer\u2019s recommendation. This can typically be found on a sticker inside the driver\u2019s side door or in your manufacturer manual.<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. Lubricate your door locks, hinges, the hood release, and the gas door release. Even using a light oil or spray can help prevent rusting of the nuts and bolts.<\/span><\/li>\n
  5. Keep an eye on regular maintenance \u2014 for example, oil changes may be recommended based on time rather than mileage. Be sure to continue these vehicle check-ups as needed even if you don\u2019t plan to be on the road.<\/span><\/li>\n
  6. Depending on where your car is parked, be mindful of critters that might find themselves making a home in it. Rodents can chew through wires that result in significant damage and also may make nests in filters. There are many sprays available to use to help keep these animals from getting inside.<\/span><\/li>\n
  7. Keep your car clean and wash the exterior weekly if parked outside. Acid rain, debris, and weather can damage the finish to your car, making it important to wash off any unwanted substances.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

     <\/p>\n

    We hope these tips help keep you safe and your car running smoothly once you\u2019re back behind the wheel regularly again. <\/span><\/i>Under the guidelines of the Executive Order, Insurance Companies and independent agents are an essential business. More than 90% of our staff are working remotely and we are ready and able to serve your needs. Should you have questions, please email us at contactus@www.quincymutual.com\/blog and we will reply promptly. Thank you for your business and the trust you have put in us.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

    \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    For many of us as we help to flatten the curve, our cars have been sitting in the garage, driveway, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2437,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\r\nThe Importance of Car Maintenance During a Driving Hiatus - Quincy Mutual Group<\/title>\r\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\r\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quincymutual.com\/blog\/the-importance-of-car-maintenance-during-a-driving-hiatus\/\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Importance of Car Maintenance During a Driving Hiatus - Quincy Mutual Group\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"For many of us as we help to flatten the curve, our cars have been sitting in the garage, driveway, […]\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.quincymutual.com\/blog\/the-importance-of-car-maintenance-during-a-driving-hiatus\/\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Quincy Mutual Group\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-05-08T16:41:27+00:00\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-11-07T16:02:22+00:00\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.quincymutual.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Screen-Shot-2020-05-08-at-12.41.09-PM.png\" \/>\r\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1198\" \/>\r\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"848\" \/>\r\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"quincymutualadmin\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"quincymutualadmin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\r\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.quincymutual.com\/blog\/the-importance-of-car-maintenance-during-a-driving-hiatus\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.quincymutual.com\/blog\/the-importance-of-car-maintenance-during-a-driving-hiatus\/\",\"name\":\"The Importance of Car Maintenance During a Driving Hiatus - 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