Auto Maintenance Tips for Spring from a Largo Area Audi Dealer

Drivers need to be able to see where they are going and what is behind them at all times. It is important to ensure your Pinellas Park area Audi is properly maintained to enable you to have the best visibility possible.   Here are some tips to keep your visibility clear at all times when behind the wheel: Remove Dangling Objects If you have personal items hanging from your rear view mirror or your back window, remove them. Objects can interrupt your vision and you may not be able to see as clearly as you should. Hanging objects may also be against the law and could net you a traffic ticket. Good Wiper Blades During rainy weather, it is important that your windshield wiper blades are in good condition to properly clear away the water. Over time your wiper blades can become damaged and will need to be replaced. Otherwise you may be left with smeared windows that are difficult to see through during your drive. Make sure to have sufficient amounts of windshield washer fluid in the reserve as well to clear away mud. Clean Windows Make sure you regularly clean the inside and outside of your windshield and windows. Remove the smears and handprints that can be especially distracting in the bright sun or during night driving. Use a lint free cloth and a quality cleaner to remove the dirt, dust, and smoke from your glass. Service Defroster If your defroster is not working properly to clear your windows when they fog up, make sure to have it serviced. Fogged up windows can make it impossible to see where you are going or who is coming up behind your vehicle. Enhance Your Technologies There are several technologies now available for your vehicle at our Pinellas Park area Audi service center that can help you drive safer. These technologies including blind spot monitoring, parking assist, and reverse sensors that can alert you to potential dangers.   Our Audi service center in Florida can offer you the installation services for additional features and we can provide the repair services you may need for safer driving and better visibility. Let us know if you are concerned about your visibility in your vehicle and we can make suggestions so you can be safer on the road.

Driving around in your St. Petersburg area Audi is sure to bring about an occasional mess or two. Coffee spills, leaking windows, or other accidents can lead to a very unpleasant smell developing in the cabin of your Audi vehicle. In addition to the bad smells, your carpeting could be at risk for mold and mildew growth which can actually be harmful to your health.   The carpeting in your Audi likely faces a lot of tough situations. Besides accidental spills, it also is subjected to a variety of weather and wear and tear from your shoes entering and exiting your vehicle. It is important to properly maintain the carpeting and upholstery in your new or used St. Petersburg area Audi to keep it in good shape.   Luckily, our service center team has the necessary equipment to restore the carpeting and upholstery in your Audi vehicle if it becomes stained. We have deep cleaning techniques to remove the deep-set stains and bad smells from the fabrics. We will also ensure that your carpeting is thoroughly dried to prevent mold growth underneath the carpeting. Regular carpet cleaning will also help protect your vehicle from future spills.   In the event you do spill a drink it is important to clean it up and dry out your vehicle as best as you can in between cleanings. Otherwise the remaining moisture can result in mold and mildew growth which can aggravate existing allergies in the driver or passengers. If you spill acidic drinks like soda, you need to take quick action. This liquid can be dangerous not only to your carpeting but also to the underside metals of your vehicle. Soda can actually eat though metals over time so clean up spills quickly and schedule a deep cleaning detail appointment as soon as possible.   It is also important to monitor any worn spots in your carpeting. Many times the carpeting beneath the driver’s seat wears faster than other areas of the floor because of frequent use. If the carpeting wears too much and a hole develops, the carpeting can become entangled on the gas and brake pedals, putting you at risk of losing control of your vehicle. Our service center can repair or replace your vehicle’s carpeting for safety and to restore it back to like-new condition.

Tampa Bay area Audi urges parents to set driving curfews that will keep their teens safer as they slowly turn into experienced drivers. When you look at the statistics, it's obvious that the most dangerous accidents occur at night. By setting a curfew, parents can protect young drivers from these accident-prone hours. Alcohol-Related Crashes Mostly Occur at Night Make no mistake about it. People drink and drive at all hours. You can't assume that all drivers are sober just because it's 10 in the morning. The statistics, however, show that fatal accidents involving alcohol almost always happen at night.   The National Highway and Transportation Safety Administration says that 18 percent of fatal crashes during the day involve alcohol. At night, that percentage shots up to 54 percent.   Having your teens come home before drunk drivers pour out of bars onto the street significantly reduces the chances that he or she will have a deadly accident. Other Dangerous Behaviors Increase at Night Drunk driving isn't the only dangerous behavior that increases at night. Studies show  that people are more likely to drive over the speed limit once the sun sets. They're even more likely to drive without their seatbelts on.   Perhaps people feel that the dark offers some anonymity that lets them get away with bad driving. Those people obviously haven't considered that 1) their license plates are illuminated by lights, and 2) cops have bright lights that make the darkest hour seem like midday. Set a Curfew That Changes With Experience Your 16-year-old will argue that it doesn't matter what time it is. You know better. Even if other drivers behaved perfectly, the darkness makes it harder for inexperienced drivers to see the road, read sigs, and react quickly to dangerous situations.   That's why it makes sense to set a curfew that changes as your teen gains more experience behind the wheel. A 16-year-old might need to come home by 9 o'clock because she has very little experience driving at night. A 17-year-old, however, who has shown maturity behind the wheel might be able to drive at 11 o'clock or even midnight.   A lot of the danger out there comes from other people, but it also has to do with how your teenager responds to dangerous situations. The curfew should vary from driver to driver, but it's still important to set rules that will help your teen adjust to the challenges of driving at night.