How to Winterize Your Car

The snow and ice of winter can be a beautiful thing, but it can also be a major challenge for anyone driving a standard vehicle. That is why it is important to prepare your car for winter to make sure that you have a safe and happy winter season. We will discuss a few ways you can prepare your car for the long winter months so that you aren't stuck in a very cold situation.

First, make sure your car is in good working order. Take your car to the dealer or a service station and make sure to get an oil change, check tire pressure, check tread depth, check all of your fluids (anti-freeze, brake fluid, windshield wiper fluid), check the radiator, ignition, emergency flashers, exhaust system and make sure your battery is fully juiced. Taking time out to check your car for minor things can save you from a major problem this winter.

Get snow tires. Snow tires can be your car's best friend during winter. Take your car to Discount Tire or Goodyear and get a fresh, brand spanking new set of snow wheels. Trying to drive in the snow with worn down tires can not only be dangerous but also a pain if you happen to get stuck in the snow. It is imperative that you have a new set of wheels before the first winter storm.

Get prepared to be stuck. Even with new tires and a good working car, you will still need to be prepared if by chance you get stuck in the snow. A great idea is to get 4 strips of old carpet, about 1ft by 4ft and put them in your trunk. If you happen to get stuck you can take the strips out and slip them under each tire. This will provide your wheels traction and make it easy to get out of the snow. If you don't have strips of carpet, you can always take the car mats out of the car and place them under the wheels too. It is also a good idea to keep a bag of clay kitty litter in your trunk so that you can put some under the tires to also provide traction.

That frosty glaze over your windshield can be a burden, especially when you don't have enough time to warm your car up and scrape off the ice. If you have to park your car outside overnight, you can simply put a large plastic trash bag over the front windshield. You can hold it down with the windshield wipers to secure it from flying off. You can also close the doors over the edges of the bag. When you come out in the morning to warm up your car, you will be saved from the burden of having to scrape ice. Just simply remove the bags and your windows should be free and clear. You can also put paper or plastic bags over your side mirrors to avoid the frost too.

There is more than one way to keep those windows from frosting up overnight. All you have to do is to make a spray solution of 6 cups of distilled white vinegar with 2 cups water and spritz the outside of your car windows with the solution. This will keep the ice and snow from sticking and save you time from having to scrape. Another quick solution is to cut an onion in half and rub the windows with the onion's cut surface. This coat of onion juice will keep the windows from fogging, frosting, and icing up.

Defrosting the windshield can be a pain especially if you didn't prepare for the ice by putting bags or onion juice on the windows. If you don't have a scraper, you can use a dust pan to scrape off the snow and ice. This little tool can clean your windows without scratching the glass and save you half the time of a little scraper. You can also pour cola onto a towel and wipe off the ice. Be careful not to get the cola on the paint, it can strip it.

If you want to prevent your doors from freeze locking on you this winter all you have to do is to spray some WD-40 on the car door and trunk locks before the cold weather sets in. This will help keep your doors lock-free during the winter months.

If you car door happens to freeze lock all you have to do is take a straw and blow through the lock with your hot air. Your breath can melt the ice and help you unlock the doors.

I hope that this article will help you God Willing prepare for your winter drive.

Sources

Wilen, Joan, and Lydia Wilen. Best-Ever Home Secrets. Stamford, CT: Bottom Line Books, 2007.