You’ve invested in a premium vehicle – here are some ways to keep it in top condition, even in blazing heat.
As temperatures rise across the GCC region, it’s important to remember that summer poses more problems than sweat and discomfort – it also requires a special regimen of care for your vehicle. If you happen to own a luxury car, you’ll need to take some additional steps.
Here are six ways to ensure your luxury nameplate remains in top condition, no matter how hot it is outside.
Mind the hot leather
One of the key in-cabin differentiators between luxury and economical vehicles is the seating. The latter tends to have simple fabric-based seats, while the former comes with a variety of high-end options, including classic leather and Alcantara in Lincoln’s case.
While finer seat materials may be beautiful to look at and feel great to rest on, there are certain protocols of care that should be observed, especially if your car spends a lot of time parked outdoor under the sun (more on that below).
The first order of business is to invest in a trusted brand of leather cleaner and conditioner. If you’re travelling this summer and do not have a shaded spot to leave your car, it might be worth picking up a seat cover for added protection while the vehicle rests unused.
Air out your filter
With dusty winds blowing sand across the GCC’s highways, summer can be taxing on your vehicle’s air filter. It may be made of paper, but the air filter serves a crucial purpose, which includes protecting your engine cylinders, walls, pistons, and piston rings from damaging dirt particles. A clean air filter is also essential for a functioning air conditioning system.
Should this filter get clogged, this will impact your vehicle’s ability to pull sufficient air into the engine, which will reduce its efficiency – more fuel will be consumed as less power is produced.
If you sense a drop in engine economy, take your vehicle to your nearest local Lincoln service centre to have the air filter checked.
Stay shaded
Extensive exposure to the sun can, over time, dull your vehicle’s coat of paint. It can also damage interior materials such as leather. If you live in a building, be sure to always park inside the basement or multistorey lot. If you are unable to park under shelter, a well-placed windshield shade can protect your steering wheel, dashboard, and front seats from the worst of the sunny weather.
Maintain your cool conditioning
This one may be obvious, but it bears repeating – for the good of yourself, any passengers, and the vehicle, take your car to your nearest Lincoln service centre as soon as you feel that the air conditioning efficacy has reduced.
A weakened or non-functioning AC may be symptomatic of a serious issue, such as a leak, faulty compressor, something blocking your condenser intake, or a minor problem, like a low level of refrigerant gas.
Remember, a working air conditioner isn’t just an issue of comfort, health and safety; it’s also necessary for helping keep your engine cool.
Oil’s well that ends well
A combustion engine comes under a lot of stress to power your journeys at the best of times, with friction between moving parts contributing to wear and tear. When you add dust, heat, and humidity to the equation, it comes under even more strain.
Depending on its quality and consistency, engine oil typically needs to be changed every 10,000 kilometres. If your car’s due for a change this summer, it’s worth doing it a couple of hundred km early rather than later. Oil is the lifeblood of your engine and keeping it fresh is essential for driving in difficult conditions.
Battery up
There’s no worse feeling than getting into your car to escape 45 degrees of heat, pressing the ignition button and hearing a dreaded clicking sound.
A battery may not be something we regularly think about – it normally needs changing roughly every 12 to 18 months – but hot weather can speed up the degradation of its power.
The next time you’re taking the car in for an oil change, to check the air filter, or any other reason, ask the Lincoln technician to give your battery a quick check for corrosion around the terminals, water level, and the retaining strap.
It’s also worth keeping jumper cables in your trunk – they can prove incredibly handy as a quick fix if you don’t have time to wait for a new battery to arrive and be installed.
