5 Ways to Get Your Car Ready for Winter

It may be referred to as the most wonderful time of the year, but, for unprepared drivers, it can quickly turn into the most dangerous. Now, we don’t want to put a dampener on the festivities, but believe us when we say nothing could ruin this season more than getting a flat battery on the way to stuff your face with Christmas dinner. 

Here are five things you can do to get your car ready for winter:

1) Check your battery

Your battery suffers from cold temperatures and the increased use of your lights, heater and blower at this time of year, putting it under extra pressure. If it’s already in need of some TLC, you may find yourself stuck on the side of the road with a car that won’t start – not to mention how cold you would be!

2) Top up your engine coolant with antifreeze

Although this may seem like a simple job, there’s still a right and wrong way to do it. For example, if you’ve previously topped up your coolant with water, any antifreeze added later would be over-diluted and be prone to freezing. To avoid any problems, it’s best to take your car to a garage who can do it for you. 

3) Inspect your tyres

When it starts to feel like the North-Pole outside the roads can turn icy, making them particularly perilous. Make sure your tyres are ready to tackle this by checking their pressure and tread depth. We recommend a minimum tread depth of 3mm.

4) Get ready for icy mornings

If you haven’t allocated yourself enough time before work in the morning to de-ice your car, you may feel compelled to drive off without finishing the job, despite your sight being compromised. Obviously, this is incredibly risky, so it’s important that you’re prepared for this scenario; you should always have a good scraper (if not, something similar like a spatula or credit card can work too) and a De-Icer product in your car. 

5) Book in for a winter car service

If your car is due a service, get it done before the temperature plummets. A mechanic will look at your tyres, battery, coolant and antifreeze, windscreen wipers, lights and oil. Getting everything checked and any work done by a professional prior to the cold weather will give you peace of mind that you’re as safe on the road as you can be this winter.