A trip to the beach can be a perfect weekend getaway, or even a “daycation” for stress relief and fun, but don’t let the sunny skies and crashing waves fool you – salty sea air can take a serious toll on the car you drive to the coast. In order to enjoy your getaway, it’s imperative that drivers properly prepare their cars for the harsh environment. Here are some tips on how to do so:

• Protect your car from the sun. Similar to protecting your skin with sun tan lotion, it’s important to shield vinyl, plastic and rubber surfaces on your car from the sun’s harsh UV rays. You can use a product like Meguiar’s Ultimate Protectant, which creates a rich shine & darkness on interior surfaces, while bringing new life to exterior trim, moldings & tires. Your headlights can also be wildly affected by the sun, eventually becoming hazy and yellowed. They can be easily protected using a product like 3M™ Quick Headlight Clear Coat, designed to offer extreme headlight protection, so you have ideal visibility on your way home after the sun sets.

• Check your tires. There’s nothing worse than a flat tire on your road trip. Be sure to check for proper inflation pressure, especially since under-inflated tires consume more energy, therefor giving you poorer gas mileage.

• Wash and wax your car. Your car’s finish can easily fade and rust from the salty air and sunshine. Be sure to give your car a solid wash and don’t forget to wax before heading toward the coast. You can use Meguiar’s Ultimate Quik Wax, an easy and fast way to wax your vehicle with a spray wax. Simply spray and wipe with a microfiber towel and your vehicle will have a slick, protective top coat that will deliver up to one full year of water beading protection—no buffing required. For additional protection use the 3M™ Rust Preventer Spray as a first line of defense against the salty ocean air. Simply spray into common problem areas including hard to reach spots for long lasting protection.

• Clean the underside of the hood. Any salt and grime build-up remaining from the winter months along with added beach salt could harm electrical connections and fuel and brake lines.

• It’s hot out there…don’t forget about your cooling system. The last thing you need on your relaxing trip is a problem under the hood. It’s important to inspect your antifreeze/coolant to make sure it’s free of debris and contaminants. If you notice an issue, flush and fill your system with a mixture of 50 percent concentrated antifreeze and 50 percent distilled water. If your reservoir is low, you can easily top off with Prestone® 50/50 Prediluted Antifreeze/Coolant with patented Cor-Guard® corrosion inhibitors.

Start Date: 6/1/2017

End Date: 6/30/2017

Eligibility: USA

Frequency: Daily

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