The first proper warm weekends tempt many drivers to push a bit harder on favourite roads, only to find the car feels vague and thirsty after a long winter. Salt, potholes and worn winter tyres all take their toll on how your car turns, stops and uses fuel. A little spring prep can restore sharp responses and keep running costs in check before road trips and Sunday blasts.

Tyre choices for spring

If you’ve been on full winter tyres, think about when you actually need that cold-weather grip. Once daytime temperatures sit well above freezing and snow is rare, soft winter compounds overheat in spirited driving, squirm in corners and can add several percent to fuel use. Swapping to a good summer or ultra-high-performance (UHP) all-season tyre quickly brings back steering precision and shorter dry braking.

Spirited drivers who stay on paved roads most of the time will usually be better served by performance-oriented summer tyres once frost risk is low. If you regularly face cold, wet shoulder-season days or occasional gravel, a UHP all-season tyre with an “M+S” or snowflake marking offers a useful compromise, though ultimate dry grip will be a bit lower than a pure summer option.

Tread depth matters as much as tyre type. Grip in heavy rain drops off noticeably once grooves are below about 4 mm (roughly 5/32"), even though the legal limit is lower, and enthusiastic driving will only expose that weakness sooner. Check for uneven wear across the tread; feathered edges, bald inner shoulders or cupping patterns usually point to alignment or suspension issues rather than just “hard driving.”

Finally, set pressures correctly with the tyres cold, at least once a month and before any long trip. A drop of 0.3 bar (around 4 psi) can increase fuel use by 3–6%, soften steering response and make the car wander on faster roads, especially with low-profile performance tyres.

Alignment and chassis health

Winter potholes are brutal on alignment. If the car pulls to one side, the steering wheel sits off-centre on a straight road, or the tyres show more wear on one edge, plan a four-wheel alignment. For most cars it costs well under the price of a single new tyre and saves scrubbing through a full set early.

A proper alignment does more than stop the car drifting across its lane. Correct toe and camber angles let the suspension work as designed, so turn-in feels cleaner, mid-corner grip is more consistent and braking stability improves. With reduced scrub and rolling resistance, it also trims fuel use, particularly on highway runs where even a small drag penalty adds up over thousands of kilometres.

While the car is on the hoist, having a technician check for worn ball joints, bushings and dampers is worthwhile. Slack in these parts dulls feedback and can let the wheels point in slightly different directions under load, which is the opposite of what you want when you turn in late on a favourite on-ramp.

Fuel-saving servicing

Extra power with less fuel rarely comes from add-ons; it usually comes from getting basics right. Start with fresh oil that matches the viscosity and specification in your owner’s manual. Oil that is thicker than recommended, or well past its change interval, makes the engine work harder and can easily cost a few percent in fuel on mixed driving.

A clean air filter and healthy spark plugs help the engine breathe and burn fuel efficiently, which you’ll feel as smoother throttle response and stronger pull from low revs. On modern engines, clogged filters and tired plugs also encourage the engine management system to enrich the mixture, nudging consumption upwards even if there’s no warning light yet.

Rolling resistance is another hidden fuel drain. Lightly dragging brakes, a sticking parking brake cable or a failing wheel bearing show up as one wheel running hotter after a drive or a subtle hum that rises with speed. Left alone, they not only waste fuel but can overheat components during a hard run.

Finally, clear winter clutter. A roof box can increase fuel use by 10–25% at highway speeds, and even empty roof bars can add 0.3–0.5 L/100 km. Extra weight in the boot has a similar effect, particularly in stop‑and‑go traffic where you’re constantly hauling it back up to speed.

Checklist

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Confirm your tyre type suits spring driving; replace overly worn sets and avoid running deep into the last millimetres of tread.

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Set cold tyre pressures to the door‑jamb values and recheck after big temperature swings.

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Book a four‑wheel alignment if the car pulls, the steering wheel is off‑centre or you see uneven tyre wear.

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Have suspension, steering joints and brakes inspected for winter damage or play.

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Change engine oil and filters on time, and keep up with spark plug intervals for crisp response.

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Remove roof boxes, unused racks and heavy items in the cabin or boot to cut drag and weight.

Using the first pleasant weekend to sort these basics will make the car feel tighter, more predictable and a bit lighter on fuel. That way, when you do head out for a spirited drive, more of what you spend goes into enjoyment instead of avoidable wear and wasted petrol.