Preparing Your Car For Winter

If there is one thing that motherhood has taught me, it is that you can never be too prepared and with the arrival of autumn, I have already started preparing my car for the winter months. Yes I know we are only in October, but I am a self-confessed perfectionist with OCD tendencies so I like need to be organized and ready for every eventuality. I think you have to be when children are involved.

Winter is notorious for being the most common time of year for car accidents due to the darker mornings and evenings, coupled with the poor weather and road conditions. The icy roads, driving rain and deep snow drifts make it particularly difficult to negotiate what are normally relatively easy roads to drive on and add significant periods of time to our journeys, yet a lot of accidents during this time of year are caused by people neglecting the conditions.

I’ll openly admit, I’m a total wimp when it comes to winter driving – a fear which stems from previous traumatic experiences. There is nothing worse than slipping, skidding and sliding all over the road or being caught out by a snow storm and stranded in the middle of nowhere. Trust me, I’ve been there. It is cold and frightening and something I swore I would never put my own children through. Granted I can’t protect them from everything and there will be situations completely out of my control but their safety and wellbeing is always my main priority.

We moved at the end of June and now live in a rural area which is quite isolated and not serviced by public transport. The lanes are long, narrow and windy and as they aren’t main routes, they’re not gritted by the council. There are no amenities nearby and the neighbouring village is prone to severe flooding, so the car is our lifeline at the end of the day and that’s why it’s such an important issue to me.

Anyway, I thought I’d share with you the steps I take to prepare my car for winter. Obviously I’m no expert in this field and I don’t claim to be either, but my dad owns a transport firm and the advice was sought from his team of mechanics.

Preparing Your Car for Winter

Tyres // Check that all tyres are inflated to the correct pressure (refer to your vehicle manual) and have adequate tread. It’s recommended to have at least 3mm of tread for winter driving. If you’re unsure about the size or brand of tyres required for your car, just like me, I discovered Point-S for tyres in Kent, where you can avail the online reserve and fit option. They also have depots located nationwide.

Anti-Freeze // Replace your coolant with a 50-50 mixture of antifreeze and water during the Winter months as this gives maximum protection down to -34 C. Without it severe engine damage can occur.

Windscreen // Ensure the windscreen is clean inside and out to improve vision when driving.

Wipers // Check wipers and replace if necessary. Top up washer fluid and use a suitable additive to reduce the risk of freezing. Wiperblades.co.uk gives good offers!

Lights // Check that all light bulbs are in good working condition and replace any that aren’t. Keep lenses and number plates clean too as you can be fined if they are dirty and illegible.

Battery // During the cold winter months, your car battery is more susceptible to failure. Be sure to turn off all of your car’s electrical devices before shutting down the engine. If you don’t use your car often, make sure you ‘exercise’ it on a weekly basis to keep the battery charged and engine/brakes etc. running smoothly.

Locks // Give locks and mechanisms a spray with WD40.

Doors // To stop doors sticking during the colder months, there’s a special spray you can buy from retailers. Personally though, i prefer to use vaseline as it’s a cheaper alternative and does the job just as well.

Fuel // Always try to keep the fuel tank at least half full to reduce the build up of moisture and corrosion.

Wax // Moisture and road salt are a corrosive combination and will eat away at your car’s paint, so give the bodywork a good clean and use a wax substance to protect it.

Do you have any tips or tricks for preparing your car for winter?

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