Don't Wait to Get Your Vehicle Ready For Winter

We know how hard old man winter can be on your used vehicle. To help you prepare your car and ensure a safe drive through the wintry months, we created a quick “to do” list below:
 

1. Invest in all-weather or snow tires. In the wintry months, roads can often resemble ice arenas. Investing in at least a pair of snow tires to use during the snow months can offer more tread in the snow and likely save you from a braking disaster. In any case, it is important to continually check your tires for good tread.

2. Check your tire pressure often. It is very important that your tires are making the maximum contact with the road for the best tracking possible. Visit your local service center early to get your tire pressure checked.

3. Get an oil change before the weather gets too cold. You may find that your vehicle needs a low viscosity engine oil. During winter your engine oil thickens due to cold temperatures. Cold and thick oil will not circulate as effectively as thinner oil with low viscosity. So, check in with your service center. Your car’s engine will thank you.

4. Check your battery strength. Frigid temperatures can be as devastating for your car’s battery as it is for the human body. If you park your car in a driveway or on the street, the last thing you need in the cold of morning is a weak or dead battery. Check your battery before and strength after severe weather conditions.

5. Replace your wiper blades and windshield fluid as needed. Good visibility during a snow storm can be a lifesaver. Ask your service center to check your wiper blades for wear and tear and be sure that your windshield cleaning fluid reservoir is full.

6. Be sure that your antifreeze is working well. The water in your radiator is bound to freeze as temperatures drop below 32 degrees. Ask your technician to check the strength and amount of radiator fluid in your car, and keep some extra antifreeze in your garage or home.

7. Adjust your defrosters if needed. If the air from the defroster is blowing on you and not the windshield, it can affect your visibility. Ask you service center technician to adjust the defroster so that it blows directly towards the windshield. Be sure you check both front and back defrosters.

8. Warm-up your car five to seven minutes before driving off. If you parked your car outside of a garage overnight, it is likely that your car has become a refrigerator by morning. Heating up your car will defrost your car, warming the engine, the upholstery, the steering wheel, and most of all you. So, before your early morning commute, give your car a head start by warming up.