In Minnesota, we spend all winter dreaming of May. It’s the month where the North Loop comes alive, the lakes finally lose their ice, and the open road starts calling. But before you load up the car for that first weekend at the cabin, your vehicle has a few “requests.”
After months of battling road salt, potholes, and sub-zero starts, May is the perfect time to give your car a fresh start. At Heritage Auto Body, we’ve been helping our neighbors in Coon Rapids and the Twin Cities keep their vehicles looking and performing their best for over 30 years.
Here is your May “Road-Ready” Checklist to ensure a smooth transition into summer.
1. The Great Salt Wash (Undercarriage Edition)
By now, you’ve probably hit the car wash to get the grime off your hood, but what about the parts you can’t see? Minnesota road salt is notoriously corrosive to your vehicle’s undercarriage, brake lines, and suspension components.
The May Task: Use a high-pressure underbody wash to flush out the hidden salt pockets. This is the single best way to prevent the “Minnesota Rust” that eats away at your frame over time.
2. Pothole Patrol: Check Your Alignment
“Spring” in the Twin Cities is often synonymous with “Pothole Season.” If you’ve hit a few craters on Highway 10 or 610 lately, your alignment might be out of whack.
The Signs: Does your steering wheel pull to one side? Do you notice uneven wear on your tire treads?
Why it matters: Bad alignment doesn’t just make driving annoying; it kills your fuel economy and forces you to buy new tires much sooner than necessary.
3. Fix the “Winter Dings”
Winter is tough on auto bodywork. Between sliding ice chunks and parking lot fender-benders on slick pavement, many cars emerge in May with a few battle scars.
Paintless Dent Repair (PDR): If you have small dings from shopping carts or stray ice, PDR is a fast, cost-effective way to get your car looking like new without a full repaint.
Touch-Up: Don’t leave deep scratches exposed. With the humidity rising in May, exposed metal can start to oxidize and rust within weeks.
4. Visibility Check: Wipers & Fluids
May showers are no joke. If your wiper blades spent the winter scraping across frozen windshields, they likely have small tears that will cause streaking during a heavy spring downpour.
Replace your blades and top off your washer fluid. While you’re at it, check your cabin air filter—May is peak allergy season in Minnesota, and a fresh filter will keep the pollen out of your lungs.
5. Inspect Your “Summer Shoes”
If you’ve been running on winter tires, May is the absolute deadline to swap them out. Winter rubber is designed to stay soft in the cold; once temperatures consistently stay above 45–50 degrees, that soft rubber wears down incredibly fast on dry pavement.
Experience the Heritage Difference
At Heritage Auto Body, we believe that your car is an investment in your freedom and your family’s safety. Whether you need a quick dent repair, or major collision work, our team is here to provide the quality craftsmanship our community.
Ready to get your shine back for summer? Stop by our Coon Rapids shop or give us a call today at (763) 786-7034.
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