If you don’t prepare your car for the winter season, there’s a higher chance of encountering a mechanic issue that could have been avoided or putting your family at risk on the winter roads. A little planning goes a long way, so read on and take steps to protect your car from the cold.
Check the Battery
Most people don’t check their car battery until something goes wrong and the mechanic or breakdown assistant point to the battery as the main problem. Most car batteries have an effective working life of around five years, but that can be shorter depending on the usage.
In the winter, the battery is under more pressure. In the winter, there is less daylight, and the weather is colder, which means you are using your lights and blower more often, putting strain on the battery. Additionally, the cold weather can make it harder to start with an older battery.
Check Fluid Levels
Vehicles need all kinds of fluids to run efficiently; they need water, oil, coolant, and antifreeze. It’s important to check these levels before the winter season to make sure your vehicle is winter ready. If you don’t know what levels to check and top up, talk to a local mechanic or enthusiast.
In the winter, it’s important you have the correct balance of antifreeze and coolant in your engine; it should be a 50/50 mix. Coolant moves through the engine preventing it from overheating, but antifreeze is needed in winter to prevent any water from freezing in the engine.
Change the Tyres
If you have ever tried to drive on baldy tyres, you will know the risks. Tyres and a vital safety feature on a vehicle; they give you traction on the road and prevent that car from aquaplaning in puddles. There are different challenges in the winter, such as frozen roads and flash flooding.
Winter tyres have thicker treads than summer ones, and they are well-suited to typical winter conditions. Most people have a set of winter tyres in their garage that they swap every year. If you don’t have any, take your car to a tyre centre to have them swapped and keep the old ones.
Buy a Vehicle
If you are in the market for a new vehicle, winter is the perfect time to buy one. Towards the end of the year, you can find excellent deals in a quality hyundai car dealer as the dealerships offload their annual stock. It also means you can buy a vehicle that’s suited to winter weather.
Some vehicles are better for the winter than others. One of the best vehicles to drive is a solid 4x4 that has plenty of weight and traction for winter roads. There is little chance of you getting stuck on the road in a 4x4, and they usually have tow bars so you can help other people out.
Breakdown Cover
Take all the winter precautions you like; sometimes, things happen to the vehicle that you could never have predicted. At times like this, you will be glad you have some breakdown cover available. Wait in the comfort of your car until the breakdown assistants arrive and fix the issue.
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