Here are some tips to prepare your vehicle for the arrival of winter

It is very difficult to think of winter at the moment with the last few weeks having been absolutely fabulous in terms of weather. But we all know that this will not continue indefinitely, so we must begin to think about the arrival of winter even before autumn settles in.

By getting ready now, we will be ready for the first snowfall while avoiding the crowd in dealers. So with that in mind, here are a few tips to prepare your vehicle for the arrival of winter.

Think winter tires first

First of all, you have to make sure your winter tires are in good condition. You can use a special tool to check their wear level, or the good old 25 cents trick that consists of placing the quarter with the caribou nose down in the tread. If you can see the tip of the caribou’s nose, your tires need to be replaced. You can also think of how your tires were behaving last winter. Typically, winter tires last between three and four seasons depending on their use. If your tires are finished, or you do not think they will survive the winter, it is better to replace them immediately.

Inspection and maintenance are key

Once you have settled the tire question, you must ensure that your vehicle is in good mechanical condition. Cold, snow, sand and salt are not kind towards your car, and the harsh winter conditions can quickly worsen any problems already present. It is therefore important to have your vehicle inspected before the arrival of winter, and to have it serviced as well. You want to inspect the battery, most notably.

Make sure you can see

When you are certain that your battery is in good condition and that your vehicle doesn’t have any problems that haven’t been addressed, it is time to make sure that you will be able to see through winter. Winter wipers will become very useful and effective in removing accumulated snow, and you will also want to make sure you always have an extra washer fluid container in your hand.

In addition to these three elements, why not make sure you also have an emergency kit in your vehicle? This should contain salt, shovel, warning signs, warm clothing, non-perishable food, a cable to charge your cell phone and a first aid kit.

For more tips on how to get your vehicle ready for winter, contact us today!