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A clean, well-maintained car is a safe car
These days, spring cleaning and upgrading is more than a ritual. Thanks to the global pandemic, it’s a critical task to ensure everyone’s safety, including those who rent vehicles.
That’s why car rental companies more than ever have to pay extra attention to cleaning and sanitizing their fleets, while looking at other maintenance tasks. Since it can be so easy to overlook a few things that need attention, we offer five tips to ensure your fleet can hit the road in top condition.
1. Replace Those Tires
This measure is more pressing in more northern latitudes accustomed to snowy and icy conditions during the winter. But oddly enough, many companies ignore this part of the car-care protocol.
Bear in mind that in some U.S. states and Canadian provinces, it’s illegal to have the same tires on when travelling during all four seasons. If you have winter tires, replace them with their summer equivalents.
As for elsewhere around the world with brutal winters, pay extra attention to vehicles with all-season or all-winter tires for uneven wear and replace them. This measure will go a long way towards cutting down on accidents.
2. Replace Other Parts and Check Fluids
Two major parts of a car undergo a great deal of havoc during the winter, especially if it was a particularly harsh season. One of them would be the battery, which is especially vulnerable to low temperatures and requires a spring testing to determine its condition.
The other would be the wipers that endures a lot of punishment during the winter, having to clear snow, ice and heavy rain. Replace the wipers if there’s any wear on the surface.
Spring is also an ideal time to check the fluids, namely oil, transmission, coolant, brake and steering. If they’re low, top them up.
Another good idea is to replace the oil filter. And while the hood is open, check the engine for any dirt and debris and remove it accordingly.
3. Get That Exterior Shiny
It’s no secret that a shiny car is more likely to get booked than one that lacks a sheen. But that doesn’t happen until the vehicle’s body gets a thorough cleaning first from front to back.
Pay additional attention to any chrome on the exterior, since it’s a crowning touch to any vehicle’s appearance. And when applying the wax at the end, avoid applying it in direct sunlight and opt for a spray or liquid form for an easier and even application.
There’s one more thing that’s pertinent in areas where salt is used on the road: make sure the chassis and the wheels are clean and free of rust.
4. Clean the Interior Thoroughly
The pandemic that’s threatened the livelihoods of everyone since 2020 might show signs of waning, thanks to the availability of vaccines, but it’s not going away tomorrow. That’s why it’s best to ensure that not only does the car interior needs to be wiped down thoroughly, staff should add a disinfectant as an extra layer of protection to keep clients healthy.
Focus first on areas where hand contact is common, such as the steering wheel, the front console and dashboard, especially the switches, buttons and dials. Vacuum and shampoo all the upholstery from the seats to the carpeting. And don’t forget the glove and saddle compartments, cup holders, windows, door handles and side control components.
5. Update Your Paperwork
Running a car fleet can be a hassle at the best of times, which makes for a lot of work in keeping track of the status of those rental vehicles. Fortunately, awesome management system software is available to do most of those administrative tasks.
When implemented properly, companies can get concise and detailed reports on any maintenance done on the vehicles, the condition of the fleet every time a vehicle is booked, and other paperwork from insurance and registration.
