Lack of preparation can ruin your ride, but this shouldn’t happen if you understand how to weatherproof your car. If you have lived in an area for a long time, you are most likely familiar with the kind of weather to expect in different seasons. In some places, winter can wreak havoc, so if you’ve recently moved, you need to look for some preventive measures that could help you to avoid an expensive repair.
These clever weatherproofing solutions could be what you are looking for.
1. Get the battery checked
A bad battery can easily ruin your day in winter. This is the first thing you should have checked to ensure you don’t run the risk of having a lifeless car either at home or out and about. Although you can check for obvious signs of corrosion, some issues are not obvious and require a professional. With help you can get the voltages checked to make sure it’s in perfect condition to start on cold mornings.
2. Carry a shovel
Getting stuck is not something you want to experience while traveling. It’s important to have a shovel in the back in case you get stuck in snow. Fewer people tend to venture our and about in snowy conditions, so you need to be able to get yourself out any sticky situations.
3. Install winter wiper blades
To keep the windscreen clear during winter, it’s advisable to switch to larger wiper blades. While making this change, also remember to replace the wiper fluid with the cold-weather type that won’t freeze when it gets too cold. This is important as it ensures your visibility does not get compromised even when the weather at its worse.
4. All-weather floor mat
An all-weather floor mat is a premium type of mat that is designed to trap road salt, water, mud, and sand to ensure the interior of the vehicle is protected. Such floor mats never crack, harden or curl even when exposed to sub-zero temperatures, and you can find them in different finishes that can match your car.
5. Use thinner oil
During cold weather, oil becomes thicker and this could overwork the car as it tries to circulate the already heavy oil. Ensure to confirm from your owner’s manual to get the recommendations for oil thickness. Change the oil filter while changing the oil to allow smooth circulation. This will ensure the efficiency of the engine is not affected even when the weather changes.
6. Body work
Rust is a big issue and it gets complex in the winter when roads are treated with components that contain salt. Driving through a road that is treated with salt could corrode the metal as the paint is peeled off by the salt. To protect your car from rusting, wash it and polish with wax. This forms an extra layer that will prevent the salt breach.
Weather changes can be a major factor why your car will give you endless problems. Before a new season like winter begins, it’s important to prepare your car to ensure it contains all the essentials to withstand the weather.
Get it inspected to ensure things like the tires and the battery are in perfect condition. Don’t forget to buy antifreeze liquids in case it gets too cold.