Winter is just around the corner, and that means we will soon be facing colder climates and poor weather conditions. It’s the toughest season for drivers, with car accidents more likely to occur at this time of year, so it’s important that you do what you can to ensure your car is ready for the challenge.
Read our top tips for advice on how you can fully prepare your car for winter, and easily cruise through the cold.
Check Your Tyres
Good grip and handling are essential when you’re on the road, especially during winter. Check your tread depth, and if it’s close to the legal limit of 1.6mm, you need to get your tyres replaced. Consider purchasing winter tyres, as their deeper tread and ability to perform when the temperature drops below 7 degrees makes them invaluable in icy conditions.
At Inchcape, you can pop into any of our dealerships, for a free tyre check, and buy your new tyres online.
Top Up Your Engine Coolant With Antifreeze
When you top up your engine coolant, be sure to add in antifreeze to prevent it becoming frozen in sub-zero temperatures. Often, throughout the year, drivers use water to top up the coolant, so when winter comes, they run the risk of it freezing up.
If your engine coolant freezes, it can lead to the engine overheating and your car breaking down. This can cause severe damage and you’ll be left with a hefty repair bill to pay.
Check Your Wipers & Screen Wash
With wintery elements coming at your car, visibility can already be challenging without the addition of ineffective wipers. Check your wiper blades to make sure they’re in good condition, and top up your screen wash so you can to clear your windscreen if dirty spray, slush, or even salt, finds its way into your view.
It’s also a good idea, as per engine coolant, to add some antifreeze into your screen washer to prevent it from freezing.
Check Your Battery
Throughout winter, your car’s battery is put under more strain due to low temperatures, and the increased use of your heater and lights during the colder, darker days. Therefore, it’s important to check it’s working well before winter kicks in.
Book a free vehicle health check at any Inchcape service centre, as we’ll carry out a 33-point component check, which includes your battery, to assess whether your vehicle is performing at its optimum level.
Buy A Car Cover
If you don’t already have one, you may want to consider purchasing a car cover in anticipation of the colder months to come. If your vehicle is regularly exposed overnight, a car cover can be a big help and a valuable time-saving device.
Car covers can prevent your car’s fluids freezing up, and also help to keep the windscreen free from ice or snow. That means you won’t have to get up any earlier in the morning to clear it!
Prepare An Emergency Kit
If you run into issues on the road in winter, you need to make sure you have all the equipment and supplies you might need. That’s why keeping an emergency kit in your car at all times is a very sensible idea.
A torch, scraper, small shovel, blankets, de-icer, water and food supplies are all items that you should be keeping in your car so that in event of an emergency, you’ll be better equipped.
Book A Service
Of course, one of the best ways to get your car winter-ready is to take it in for a full service. This will put your car back on the top of its game and resolve any underlying issues before the ice and snow arrive.
A service is something you shouldn’t put off, so book online today, and our expert technicians will ensure your car is braced and ready to tackle whatever this winter brings.