WHY YOU NEED TO WINTERIZE YOUR CAR

Winterizing is for boats and summer homes, right? Surely you don’t need to winterize your car, which you intend on using every day throughout this winter, right? Wrong! Winterizing isn’t about preparing something to sit safely all winter, it’s preparing your important possessions to weather the season without damage. Your car is expected to operate at full capacity all winter, though the conditions can change and be much more difficult.

Why You Need to Winterize Your Car

Winterizing your car isn’t difficult, but it does take some planned effort on your part. The benefits, however, are vast. Once winterized, your car can operate at maximum efficiency and become even safer for you during the icy, cold season. Here’s why:

1. Engine Strength: Your engine will have to work much harder this winter than it did throughout the year. The temperature has dropped, so your engine is starting out cold every single time you fire it up. You can help your engine increase power by completing an engine flush or providing fresh oil for your engine. An oil additive can help clean the gunk from your engine and decrease friction to ease your car’s winter.
2. Tire Traction: Your tires are your first line of defense against the icy roads. Good tires can make the difference between a sliding car accident and avoiding tragedy. To winterize your tires you simply need to upgrade to an appropriate tire (for certain cars & climates) such as snow tires or chains, or you may just need to check the tread and inflation on your current tires.
3. Snow Removal: Even if it only snows twice a season where you live, you don’t want to be scraping that snow and ice off your windshield with bare hands. Winterizing your car’s gear will help you to safely remove snow to create the best visibility. Get a snow scraper and a pair of warm gloves at the minimum, just so you’re ready.
4. Fluids: Winterizing your fluids is critical for the cold season. You need to be sure your radiator has enough antifreeze to cope with the freezing temperatures, or else you’ll deal with a crack or more serious problems. Topping off your washer fluid will help maintain visibility when you drive through a snow storm or behind a big snow plow, as well.

Winterizing your vehicle will make a huge difference in your performance and fuel efficiency this season, so take some time today to prepare your car or truck for winter.