Empire Covers Blog

Although we all love to have a clean and shiny looking car on the outside, it’s important not to forget to clean and maintain the inside of your car as well. Spring is a great time of year to check up on your car to make sure it’s working properly and running well. Winter can take a toll on your car, especially if you live in an area with snow, ice, and road salt. Now that spring is finally here and your car has had a chance to thaw, it’s time to pop the hood and get your (or a mechanic’s) hands dirty. Make sure your car is up to speed this spring by taking the following steps.

Check your tire pressure. When the temperature changes in the spring, the pressure of your tires will decrease. Proper tire pressure is essential for automotive safety, optimum driving performance and significant cost savings, including better fuel mileage. Check your car’s manual or with the manufacturer to see what your optimum tire pressure should be.

Get an oil change. It’s recommended that every 3,000 miles you drive or every three months, you should get an oil change. This helps prevent sludge from building up in your engine and clogging it. Automotive repair shops and mechanics offer this service, but it’s easy enough for someone to do it on their own. Since you probably own a car, you understand this process very well. Spring is a good time to do it as your engine has taken a beating from the harsh winter conditions.

Flush and refill the cooling system. This increases your vehicle’s life expectancy and fuel efficiency, especially during the hot summer. It’s a good idea to check the condition and concentration of the coolant to make sure it’s up to standards. Also, replace your air filter in preparation for the summer heat use of your car’s air conditioner.

Some other things you can do include lubricating locks and hinges and inspecting underneath your car for winter damage. Use a petroleum-based lubricant on door and trunk hinges to fix any creaking that may have developed during the winter. When checking under your car, look for suspicious areas and have them fix immediately. Also, take a look at your brakes for sticky calipers or corroded brake line and your exhaust system for rusted clamps, crumpling tailpipes, or holes forming in the muffler.

Spring cleaning can be a tedious task, but it can significantly increase the life of your vehicle and make your car a lot safer to drive. Preventive care is always safer and more cost efficient since you will be catching things before they become an issue. As always, Empirecovers.com is here for you and your car. Check our site for new products and promotions to get your car in shape this spring.

The rain as arrived, and with it the hope of turning barren branches into lush green foliage. Although we all love the arrival of spring flowers, we must first endure the pain of spring showers. Rain can do damage to roads and limit visibility, making it difficult to drive during storms. It can also cause damage to the exterior of your car and lead to rust. A little paint chipping here, a dent there exposes the metal to the elements of nature and what initially show up as tiny bits of rusting soon eats into the metal. Considering the ease with which the car rust could be prevented, this just seems unpardonable. Covering it with waterproof car covers is an easy and effective way to prevent rust damage, but there are a few other things you can do to protect your car during spring showers.

Make sure the exterior of your car is clean. Salt speeds the spread of rust, so make sure you clean your car of any salt left from the winter. Other debris such as mud and sand can break down your car’s finish, so make sure anything that’s been picked up from the road while driving is cleaned off. Once you have cleaned your car, it’s a good idea to wax it to protect the paint. Wax helps rain from building up on your car and damaging the finish. Rain-X products are also something that you can use to prevent water from pooling on your car.

The following are some additional steps you can take during every day use of your car:

• Avoid parking direct sunlight, but rather park in the shade or under a tree.
• Wash your car at least twice a month and leave the doors open to ensure proper draining.
• Check for holes, tarnishes, and scrapes that can become a target for rust.
• Use gentle, car specific, cleaners that will not harm your paint.
• Jet-wash your car once a month with a hose or sprinkler.
• When in humid or coastal areas, wash your car frequently.

Although it rains all year around, April can bring some of the most rain of the year. It’s a good idea to take the time now to prevent damaging instead of paying for your car to be refinished later. At empirecovers.com, we have a number of covers that protect against rain including a 100% waterproof cover. All of our covers are breathable and non-abrasive so you can be sure your car is being taken care of when using one.

Covering your car during spring

Spring is here and most of us who live in cold climates have had about enough of snow, ice, and freezing temperatures. We welcome the new, warmer season with open and somewhat pasty arms. Flowers, light sweaters, and warmer weather are here to stay. With the joys of spring come some not so welcomed contributions such as pollen, bird dropping, and lots and lots of rain. If you’re not careful, these seasonal offerings can severely damage the exterior of your car. Take the following steps to ensure that your car sparkles this spring.

Pollen, one of spring’s most prevalent participants, not only causes harm to your respiratory system, but can damage your car as well. Microscopically, pollen is a sharp pronged form of grit. When it touches the exterior of your car, it can settle and become very difficult to remove. If you try to wipe it off with a rag or towel, pollen can cause swirls in the paint. To remove pollen with minimal damage to your paint, try cleaning it off with a micro-porous cloth.

We can thank spring for another auto enemy, bird droppings. If parked outside for an extended period of time, it’s not uncommon to find your car covered in it. Bird droppings are highly acidic and can erode paint. Especially if left in the sun, your car can suffer from these avian deposits. No-salt seltzer water, which is basically water and carbon dioxide, is an easy and effective way to clean bird droppings off your car.

Spring cleaning, whether you like it or not, isn’t just for your house. Deep cleaning your car every spring helps it to run longer and increases its resale value. Both the interior and exterior take a beating during the winter months when salt, ice, mud, and snow cover the roads. The following are some of the things you can do to freshen up your ride this spring.

First, clear away any clutter that that built up over the year. Make sure you get the hard to reach places like under and between the seats, door panels, and trunk. Next, clean the interior with a vacuum and wipe down all hard surfaces like the dashboard, cup holders, and steering wheel. When you’re done with the inside, move to the exterior by washing it down with soap and water. Scrub down tires, front grille, and license plate. When you’re done, apply a coat of wax to maximize your cars shine. One of the most important things you can do is clean your windows, which should be done regularly. Make sure they are unobstructed and streak free so you can see traffic clearly. When finished cleaning, organize your car so that it’s neat and clutter free. Only keep things in your car that are necessary. Another thing you can do is make sure your paper work such as registration and insurance information are up to date.

All this cleaning seems like hard work, but it’s worth it for you and your car in the long run. At Empirecovers.com we have a number of car and truck covers that will protect your car this spring. Whether it’s dirt, sun, rain, pollen, or bird droppings, our covers will provide the top protection. Call us today and learn about our special discounts.

Spring is here and most of us who live in cold climates have had about enough of snow, ice, and freezing temperatures. We welcome the new, warmer season with open and somewhat pasty arms. Flowers, light sweaters, and warmer weather are here to stay. With the joys of spring come some not so welcomed contributions such as pollen, bird dropping, and lots and lots of rain. If you’re not careful, these seasonal offerings can severely damage the exterior of your car. Take the following steps to ensure that your car sparkles this spring.

Pollen, one of spring’s most prevalent participants, not only causes harm to your respiratory system, but can damage your car as well. Microscopically, pollen is a sharp pronged form of grit. When it touches the exterior of your car, it can settle and become very difficult to remove. If you try to wipe it off with a rag or towel, pollen can cause swirls in the paint. To remove pollen with minimal damage to your paint, try cleaning it off with a micro-porous cloth.

We can thank spring for another auto enemy, bird droppings. If parked outside for an extended period of time, it’s not uncommon to find your car covered in it. Bird droppings are highly acidic and can erode paint. Especially if left in the sun, your car can suffer from these avian deposits. No-salt seltzer water, which is basically water and carbon dioxide, is an easy and effective way to clean bird droppings off your car. (more…)

Daylights savings time is almost over, which means it will be lighter out later in the morning and into the evening. Although this time can bring some of the best weather of year for us, your car can become damaged by the sun’s harmful UV rays caused by extended hours of sunlight. Over a period of about six months, usually March-September, your car’s exterior and paint can corrode over this time due to the long periods of sunlight it is exposed to.

Your car’s paint finish breathes and even has pores. In the hot sun the paint’s pores expand and can absorb more dirt and moisture. Imagine having to stay outside all day in the beating sun without any sunscreen or shade. Our skin burns, dries out, and takes days or weeks to heal. Similar to skin, over time the exterior of a car can wear down, fade, peel, and rust when exposed to water. There are preventative steps you can take however, to ensure your paint and exterior lasts to its potential.

There are a many products on the market that you can use to both prevent and treat sun damage. One of the most popular products is a rubbing compound used to polish out blemishes. It’s used to remove fine scratches, oxidation, coarse swirl marks, and water spots. There are also polishes and waxes you can use on a regular basis to prevent sun damage from happening to your car. In the case of extreme sun damage, you can re-paint your car, which costs thousands of dollars.

The interior of your car can also be greatly affected by the sun. The sun is attracted to dark material and can severely damage materials like leather. Collapsible sun shades are the most popular type of interior sun protection. They can significantly decrease the temperature of your car and block harmful sunlight. Car window shades are also popular and can be used while driving.

If your car spends a significant amount of time outside, no matter what climate it’s in, you should consider protecting it with a car cover. Not only will a cover protect your car from sun, it will protect it from rain, bird droppings, dust, and mold. By covering your car, you can prevent all kinds of damage at a fraction of the cost it would be to fix it. At Empirecovers.com, our best covers for sun protection are the Max and the Premier. They are both UV treated and will protect against sun for many years. The max comes with a lifetime warranty and the Premier is covered for 5 years. Buy one at Empirecovers.com today and take advantage of our Sun Covers Sale!

Over the past six months or so, Toyota has recalled over 8.5 million vehicles.  This has lead to safety concerns for both Toyota owners, as well as others on the road.  If something happens to a car while driving, the chanced of it hitting/affecting others are high.  One of the Toyota recalls was due to floor mats not being secured, causing them to slip under the brake and fuel pedals while driving.  At empirecovers.com, we care about your safety and strive to make products that meet the top standards.  If you have any concerns, please let us know and we would be happy any questions you may have about our products.

While at the Philadelphia Auto Show this year, one of the cars we saw the most of the was the Ford Mustang. One of the most popular American cars ever made, the Mustang has changed a lot since it first came out.  Still true to its roots, however, the 2010 Mustang was a hit at this years auto show. At Empirecovers.com, you have find tons of different covers and accessories for your or a loved one’s Mustang.

Last Tuesday, Empirecovers.com went to the Philadelphia Auto show to check out the latest and greatest the auto industry has to offer in 2010.  The following blogs are going to highlight some of the different vehicles that were on display.  Overall, the car show had many different cars in all shapes, sizes, and MPGs.  Yes, MPGs  seems to be the top priority of the Auto companies, according to the concept cars and new models on the floor.  Some of the new models were electric cars, which require a plug in for electricity.  Others were hybrids that a more sophisticated than their predecessors.  Some of the most impressive cars included Dodge’s new Challenger and the Corvette Sting Ray.

Although most winter storms don’t produce this much ice, it is still a hassle getting ice off your car, especially early in the morning when it’s the coldest outside.  There are ways, however, to help make this process a little easier for you.  First, turn your car on and your defroster on low but high heat.   Then, clear the car of any snow.  After that, spray a defrosting solution on the surface of the car.  Lastly, scrape the ice off with a scraper or a credit card.

If scraping is not for you, there are other easier and less time consuming alternatives to this.  A car cover is a great way to prevent ice from building up on your car.  At EmpireCovers.com, we sell covers that will protect specifically from water and snow.  If a layer of ice does build up on the car, you can pour some hot water on your car to melt it.  Check out our selection of covers at Empirecovers.com and end your ice problem today!

Check out this unique ride. The body is all fiberglass and it’s all fully customized and ready to ride. The paint is hand rubbed which gives it an amazing shine. If this was my ride I’d be sure to protect it with a car cover. I’m sure they get a ton of attention while driving around town.