Car Maintenance Tips for Winter

In the Sandpoint, Idaho area, the arrival of winter tends to be greeted in one of two distinct ways. For some people, it’s a cause for celebration – plenty of residents love the first snow forecast of the season and can’t wait to hit the slopes as the snow starts to pile up. For others, winter is dreaded, with a countdown toward spring starting at the first sign of a frost.

No matter how you feel about winter weather in our area, it’s always important to prepare your vehicle for the challenges ahead. Driving in the winter tends to be more challenging in the summer months, both in terms of the cold conditions your car will face and what it’s like out on the roads. Let’s take a moment in this article to go over the basics of car maintenance and what points you should check on before the worst of the weather moves in.

For help with any vehicle service or repair needs around Sandpoint, turn to Taylor & Sons Chevrolet. You can trust our dedicated and experienced team to get the job done, and we take great pride in the fair pricing that we offer to our customers. Give us a call today to get started.

Cover These Three Points First

As winter rolls in, you’ll want to at least have the basics of car maintenance taken care of – and these three points are a great place to start. This probably isn’t all that you will need to do to get ready for winter, but if you at least hit on these keys, you’ll be in pretty good shape.
• Have your battery checked. The first piece of equipment that is going to be vulnerable in the winter is usually the car’s battery. With cold overnight temperatures – and sometimes daytime temperatures that don’t get back above freezing – your battery is going to slowly lose some of its charge while the car sits parked. That’s not a big problem for a fresh new battery, but it can lead to trouble if you are using a battery that is already a few years old. Have yours checked and consider replacing it if the capacity is testing in a low range. Getting ahead of this and testing the battery in advance is better than dealing with a situation where your vehicle won’t start in the morning because it’s cold and the battery doesn’t have enough juice.
• Think about tires. You might not need to purchase an entire set of winter tires to get through the season safely but doing so is at least worth considering for those who drive a lot during the cold months. Specifically, consider winter tires if you have a job or other obligations where you need to venture out in bad weather – in other words, if you don’t have the option to just stay home in adverse conditions. Even if you aren’t going to opt for a set of dedicated winter tires, check on the condition of your current all-season tires to make sure they have enough tread left to provide at least decent grip on winter roads. Always keep the limitations of your vehicle and your tires in mind during the winter and stay home when in doubt.
• Pack some supplies. While you will always set out with the best intentions when going on a drive in the winter, it’s still smart to prepare for unexpected conditions. Part of winter driving maintenance can include packing up a bag and stowing it away in your vehicle. Include some water, non-perishable food, a blanket, and any other relevant survival/safety equipment. Hopefully you won’t need to pull it out at any point, but it will be there if you need it.

With your battery in good condition, your tires addressed, and a kit packed and put in your vehicle, you’ll be off to a nice start for winter preparations. Take care of these items right away and drive with more confidence in the months ahead.

An Important Point on Inactivity

For some people, the arrival of winter means driving a lot less frequently. If you don’t drive as often in the winter – or maybe you only use one of your two vehicles for most of the winter driving – you’ll need to think about what you are going to do to keep the other car in good condition while it sits around. Idleness isn’t the best thing for the condition of a vehicle, but it can be managed as long as you have a plan.

In the best-case scenario, you’ll be able to park indoors for the duration of the winter. That will keep the snow away and avoid trouble with critters and other issues that come along with letting a vehicle sit outside for months at a time. If you can park inside, make it a point to simply pull the vehicle out once a month or so on a relatively nice day to start up the engine and let everything run for a few minutes.

Of course, parking inside might not be possible, in which case looking into a car cover could be a good option. That would help you protect the exterior of the vehicle, and you can easily peel the cover back and start it up once in a while as the winter moves along. Remember that your battery is going to slowly drain in the cold weather while the car isn’t being driven, so think about using a charger designed for long periods of storage to keep it topped off and ready to work properly when the time comes to start the engine.

Getting your vehicle ready for winter is about taking care of the basics and being prepared for the variable weather conditions that are sure to take place in the months ahead. The team here at Taylor & Sons Chevrolet would love to help you get ready for those challenges, so stop by and see us today, or call our service department to schedule an appointment. We appreciate your time!

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