If soaring, 100-plus degree temperatures can have an adverse effect on the human body, then it must have adverse effects on vehicles, right?

Wrong.

Cars and trucks handle the heat quite well and vehicle owners don’t have to do anything special to ensure their cars run smoothly doing the summer months, said David Ford, owner of Park Center Automotive in Manassas Park.

Oh, and those pricey add-on services and "flushes" car dealerships and franchise automotive repair shops try to sell their customers? You probably don't need it, Ford said.

Aside from regular maintenance such as oil changes, most cars only need a tune-up around 100,000 miles, Ford said.

Ford did however, offer some low-cost and free pointers on keeping your car running smoothly in all four seasons.

 1. Clear leaves and other debris that may have collected near the vents located in the area between the hood of the car and the front windshield—this can affect a vehicle’s cooling capacity. 

 2. Make sure the vehicle has plenty of antifreeze.

 3. Top off other vehicle fluids.

 4. Drive gently.

 5. Check your tire pressure.

 6. Change windshield wiper blades when Daylight Saving Time begins and ends in the fall and in the spring. If they squeak, it’s time for new ones.