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At the end of summer, preparing a car for autumn may not necessarily seem very urgent. However, the days are still quite warm, so it is natural that preparing a car is not yet the main priority for drivers. Nevertheless, conditions are starting to change little by little. The nights are cooler, it rains more often, and the car is greeted by moisture in the mornings. PartEvo specialists note that it is during this period that it is worth assessing the condition of some Audi components. And not necessarily the most expensive ones. Sometimes the most problems in autumn are caused by parts that the driver does not even think about in summer.
Moisture quickly shows where the car is no longer airtight
One simple example is a car’s water drainage channels. They are not a detail that is often talked about during regular car maintenance, but when the drains are clogged, water can start to accumulate where it should not be at all. This is especially relevant for cars with installed sunroofs. The problem may start with a damp carpet or misted windows, but when water reaches the electrical connections, the situation becomes much more unpleasant than many might think.
PartEvo specialists recommend checking the door and trunk sealing elements before the rainy season. However, ageing rubber inevitably hardens and can deform slightly over time. Sometimes a small leak cannot even be noticed in the summer. A few heavy autumn rains are enough to change the situation, and no driver really wants to face that.
Wipers are not always ready for autumn after the summer
The sun and the high temperature of the heated glass inevitably affect the wiper rubber. It gradually loses its elasticity, so the first serious autumn rain sometimes becomes a kind of test of the condition of the wipers. If water streaks remain on the glass or the blade starts to jump, there is little point in postponing its replacement, because it will have to be done anyway. During the day, this may seem like a minor inconvenience, but its impact is often much greater than many people think. In the dark, when it rains and when the headlights of oncoming cars are reflected from wet glass, the difference is completely different.
However, it is not always necessary to replace them with original Audi parts. Every driver should remember that high-quality spare parts often cost less, and products from reliable manufacturers can offer a service life suitable for similar use. In addition, the most commonly used parts for the popular Audi A4, A6 or Q5 models are often already in stock, so you don’t have to wait to order them.
Summer also leaves its mark on the chassis
Longer summer trips mean extra kilometres. Not all of them are driven on a smooth highway. The multi-link suspension widely used in Audi cars provides a good ratio of comfort and steering precision, but it has a number of moving joints. However, a worn-out arm bushing may not even squeak or make any extraneous sounds at first. Sometimes the car’s behaviour changes first – the steering wheel no longer seems so precise, and the tyres start to wear differently than drivers are used to.
According to PartEvo experts, it is worth at least prophylactically inspecting the chassis at the end of the summer if the car has driven significantly more kilometres during the season. So, when looseness appears, you don’t need to automatically choose the most expensive part, because high-quality aftermarket levers, bushings or stabiliser components can be a completely reliable alternative to original parts and often cost significantly less.
