CHARLOTTE, N.C. — As you go through your spring-cleaning checklist, don’t forget to prepare your car for summer travel.
With impending tariffs on imported auto parts, a North Carolina mechanic says you may want to get your car checked, or fixed, sooner rather than later.
For 47 years, Don Creason and his family have been helping Charlotte drivers check under their hoods before they hit the road for summer vacation.
“Once the weather starts getting warm all the time,” Creason said, “then we will see more people coming in wanting checkovers for a trip.”
Creason says he usually starts by looking at fluid levels such as engine oil, coolant and power steering.
He also tests the battery and checks air pressure in the tires.
What may pass his checklist today, could fail down the road later and require repairs.
Those repairs could also soon cost drivers more as the Trump administration implements tariffs on imported car parts.
“As we get price increases from our parts supplies, then of course they have to be passed on to the customer,” Creason said.
A look around Creason’s shop shows that many parts are made overseas.
He says he’s started warning his regular customers about possible price hikes. However, as a small business owner, he admits he’s not worried.
“Because it’s one of those things I don’t have any control over,” Creason said, “they’re going to happen no matter what, and we’re going to make the best of it that we can.”
He also says customers shouldn’t see sticker shock immediately.
“There are warehouses full of car parts and lots of car parts sales outlets,” Creason said. “And they have warehouses full that they’ve already been shipped in before the tariff will hit them, so it might be a delay type of response.”
Still, as the summer heat looms, Creason says it’s always best to get your car checked before something major goes wrong.
“Always better sooner, no matter with the part increase,” Creason said. “Any time you think you have an issue, you need to bring it in as soon as possible because you know your car better than we do.
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