When Winter Strikes- Will You be Ready?

These five simple tips will insure your safety when winter hits and as an added bonus, help extend the life of your car in general. Be sure to complete this check list before the snow starts falling and your car starts stalling.

1.) Check Your Tires

Depending on the condition of your tires and where you live, this may have different meaning s for different people. If you live in an area that usually incurs a large amount of heavy snow fall, I recommend having snow tires put on your car. Understanding the costliness of this, these basics are an absolute not matter where you live;

· Check tire pressure

· Make sure tread is still existent

· General wear and tear of the tires

· Replace worn up, bald tires now!

2.) Fluids

Check the levels of all fluids in your car, including, but not limited to; antifreeze, wiper fluid, brake fluid, and coolant. You car if working twice as hard as normal in the winter with the in climate conditions, and all these fluid are essential for the smooth running of your car. Pay special attention to your antifreeze levels, and even think about keeping some extra in your trunk.

3.) Emergency Kit

In the unfortunate yet common event that you get stranded on the side of road because the weather, a well stocked emergency kit will help ease the pack will have inevitably sank in.

Below are the bare minimums you should always have on hand, preferably in the trunk of your car.

· Scraper

· Small Shovel

· Lock De-Icer

· Defrost Spray

· Blankets

4.) Check Brakes and Hoses

This can be when your get a full service tune up for your car in the fall (something you should already being doing). Make sure there is no significant wear or any tearing. Cold weather is the worst for this part of your car, so make sure they get checked.

5.) Wind Shields Wipers

Being able to see is essential anytime you are operating a vehicle, however more obstacles are thrown in your way during the winter months. Checking your wipers will take your less than a minute, and make your drives much safer. All auto parts stores now sell winter wind shield wipers for the same price as a regular pair, so we suggest investing on a quality pair that will last you all winter long.

Another important step every car owner should do every season to insure that there car is running to its peak performance is an auto diagnostic test. This test is cheap and even free at some auto repair shops. This test will help trouble shoot any unseen problems that you would hate to run into on a cold winters day.

About Elyse Peery

Elyse Peery writes for both home improvement and auto service industries. She specializes in DYI and personal repair tips for the home and automobile. Her expertise will save you money and give you insight into the industries before calling in the professionals.

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