Is your car winter ready? How to prepare your car for winter weather

While we’ve been lucky to have a fairly pleasant autumn so far, there’s no doubting that one day soon things are bound to get a bit more wintry. With colder, wetter conditions on the way, it’s time to start preparing for winter driving by thinking about what you can be doing to maintain your car’s condition and ensure your safety on the roads through the season.

Depending on how much time you’ve got, you can take either a DIY approach to your car maintenance or hand the keys over to the professionals – we’ll talk about both options below.

So, it’s time to find out: is your car winter ready?  

What can go wrong in the winter?

2020 is a unique year. Many of us are working from home, with ventures out of the house to see and do things much more limited than usual. While that might be good news for those of us counting the pennies saved on fuel costs, it does mean that our cars are literally left out in the cold, sat dormant for unusually extended periods of time.

This means all the usual cold weather concerns with cars are amplified. If you’re someone who isn’t using their car as much as normal, there’s a higher chance you might face one or more of these issues over the next few months:

·         Flat battery: Probably the most common problem drivers will face in winter. Batteries rely on chemical reactions to work – reactions that are slowed or stopped altogether in cold conditions.

·         Deflated tyres: Cold air contracts, meaning less pressure in your tyres.

·         Thick fluids: The colder and thicker your fluids and oil get, the greater the struggle to efficiently pump them around the engine.

·         Icy fuel line: If you leave the car outside with an empty tank, water in the fuel line can freeze.

·         Wiper failure: The cold can cause the rubber of your wiper blades to become brittle and crack, creating a decidedly loud and abrasive wiping experience when in use.

How to maintain your car in the winter

So, that’s what can go wrong, but what can you do to help prevent any of the nasty stuff happening?

• Check the battery: Especially if you’re not heading out very often at the moment, it’s worth going out and checking the battery from time to time, even if it’s just to turn the engine over and make sure it starts. If you think your current battery might be a bit worse for wear, now is as good a time as any to replace it with a fresher model.
• Keep your engine coolant mix 50/50 year-round: Many people make the mistake of only adding antifreeze to their engine coolant mix during the winter. Your mix should be 50% water and 50% antifreeze 365 days a year. If you use water exclusively through the summer your coolant will be heavily water diluted when you try to add the antifreeze.
• Check the tyres: A trip down to your local petrol station for a bit of air in the tyres will be worth your while. Before that, though, make sure your tyres are fit for purpose with a good level of tread and are without any cracking or bald spots.
• Regularly clean away muck and grime: Winter time means extra dirt and salt off the roads, which can get into nooks and crannies of your car that you definitely don’t want it to. Keep your car as clean as possible, paying extra attention to areas like external lighting.
• Keep the fuel tank at least half full: This will help prevent any icing in the fuel line.
• Keep the screen wash topped up: The last thing you want is the inability to clear your screen properly when driving in poor conditions.
• Refresh the wiper blades: If your wiper blades are looking a little old and making a bit of a racket while doing their job, just like the battery, now is a good time to get new ones.

What do I need for my car in the winter?

As well as carrying out simple maintenance, there are a number of items that should be on your winter driving shopping list to help you deal with the worst of the weather:

• Battery charger
• Wiper blades
• Scraper
• Antifreeze and coolant testing kit
• Screen wash and de-icer
• Emergency kit for breakdowns

Should I cover my car in the winter?

With your car likely to be used less this year, you might want to think even more about how to protect your car from the winter elements – and one of the things you can do is invest in a cover. It can prove especially useful if you don’t have a garage to store your beloved motor and it will protect your car from harmful elements like rain, tree sap, bird poo and general dirt.

A cover will also keep your bodywork protected from scratches and fading. It’s a purchase that the average person wouldn’t normally consider, but it might be a sound investment if you don’t see yourself needing your vehicle much over the course of the winter months.

Is it time for a service? Let the experts help

If all of the above sounds like a bit of a faff – maybe you just don’t have the time or expertise to carry out said maintenance, or you simply don’t want to – you can let the professionals take care of your winter servicing for you.

Here at Robins & Day we offer servicing, repairs and MOTs, as well as an expansive range of stock parts via both our parts hub and call and collect services. Come to us if you’re looking to save time and ensure a proper job is done ahead of the winter season – we’ll ensure your car is ready to face what is set to be a rather slow few months in the cold.

Want some more information? Don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team – we’d love to help you out.

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