Tips For Winterizing Your Car
Well hello, New England winter! It sure has been cold lately. While you may have already thought about ways to keep yourself warm and “winterized”, we cannot help but wonder: have you thought about your car? Winterizing your car may just be one of the most important things you can do to ensure the rest of this New England winter goes smoothly for you.
There are many different tips for winterizing your car out there; however, what we have compiled is a necessary list of what we believe everyone should take care of before the snow really sticks (or even after it has- we just want you to take care of this checklist so you can remain safe!)
- You’re not ready for the full service … yet. But that does not mean you shouldn’t get your car serviced before a long winter anyway. At a minimum, you should get your oil changed. Keep in mind that in the winter time, oil tends to thicken as it gets colder – you will want to use oil with the right viscosity to avoid that problem.
- Check on your windshield wiper blades. You may have changed them after last winter, but perhaps you put on lighter blades? During the winter, you might want to use heavier blades that can handle the snow. You’ll also want to be sure you have washer fluid plentiful and that your defroster is working properly – seeing is key during a winter storm.
- Show your battery some TLC. The winter’s frigid temperatures can wear on your batteries ability to hold a charge. Be sure it is corrosion-free. To be completely safe, make sure you have those jumper cables in the trunk… just in case.
- Ensure your tires are ready to handle the winter. Start by checking your tires’ tread, and providing that is good, check on the pressure. You might want to switch to snow tires here in New England – but that is a personal choice.
Finally, you will want to be sure you have everything you need inside of your car to be prepared for anything. Aside from the jumper cables, prepare an emergency kit with items such as a flashlight, a small shovel, a snow scraper, gloves, a first aid kit, emergency flares, and some salt or sand. You never know when you might get stuck!
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