With the rise of the temperature and plenty of sunshine coming our way, one of the most entertaining ways of commute gets more and more enjoyable.
We are of course talking about our favorite means of transportation, the MX-5 Miata, so here are a few things that should be done before jumping in the car and taking a road trip in it.
Check coolant level
Not that you should only check the coolant on summer days, far from it however, cars have to endure greater temperatures during the summer, so before that temperature gauge starts climbing towards the red zone, it is best if we make sure it has enough coolant to circulate in the system.
Top up the oil
During winter driving, keeping the oil near the minimum marker will help it warm up faster and reach the working temperature much faster thus getting the car ready for some “proper” driving.
During summer, however, you should always keep the oil near the maximum marker, making sure that the engine has as much oil as it can take, which will in turn provide better heat distribution around the engine.
While this might seem insignificant, the actual difference in the safe zone between minimum and maximum is about 20% more oil, and while this does not mean 20% better cooling, it still helps significantly.
Check the tire pressure
While many newer models feature tire pressure monitoring systems, there are plenty of vehicles that lack this option and the best way to make sure tires are at their proper pressure is of course checking it at your local gas station.
While this is a good habit to have, we have to remember that the tire pressure needs to be checked on cold tires. You see, driving in the summer puts much more heat into the tires which in turn causes the air to expand and increase the tire pressure.
So stopping in the middle of a vigorous drive to check the tire pressure will surely give you huge pressure differences from cold tires and this is why you need to remember to check them when they are cold.
AC Maintenance
While the open road beckons us to put the top down and feel the breeze, congested city driving will often have us reaching for the AC button to cool off while sitting in traffic or at the stoplight.
While using the AC in the winter will help windows from getting foggy, it will also help lubricate the entire system, thus keep it functional and with no leaks.
Hot summer days are the real test of this system so before you get stuck in traffic with a malfunctioning AC, make sure to visit a mechanic who will top off the refrigerant and detect any leaks in the air conditioning system.
Additionally, you can purchase the very easy-to-use AC disinfectant spray which will make sure to keep the bad odors away for the entire summer.
Soft Top Protection
While most of our tips are intended for driving, this one is actually intended for parking.
On the hot summer days, most of us tend to park under the shade that trees usually provide, however, we must remember the fact that birds love this, the Miata top won’t love the acidic bird droppings which tend to destroy cloth or vinyl.
In addition to this, there are trees which ooze tree sap and this is also something you would want to avoid so the best solution would be to find some form of man-made shade or make sure to clean the roof with some professional products which will provide vinyl / cloth impregnation.
With a car as fun as the Miata, it is easy to get carried away and not notice the sunburn while driving in the summer, so after you have made sure that the car is ready for a drive, keep in mind that you need to be ready as well.
Sunscreen or a hat is always a good idea that will keep you safe from the sun while you are having fun, so get yourself and your Miata ready, and enjoy the summer.
Photo © Loris Demaria / Wassim Chouak
