Following the recommended regular maintenance will help keep your car in good driving condition for an extended time. As winter comes and the temperature begins to cool, All the more that you need to make sure that your used car is well maintained before winter comes.
Change Your Oil to A Winter-Friendly One
What happens to your regular oil when winter comes is that it thickens as the temperature drops. Most people switch to synthetic oil because it’s much easier on the engine. If you like to try the cheaper version which is a blend between regular oil and synthetic oil, you can do so but you need to get the green light from your mechanic.
Every time you get your oil change, it’s good practice to also have your oil filter replaced to ensure that the system flows efficiently.
Consider Changing Your Windshield Wiper
One good trick to make your life easier when it comes to clearing your windshield is to pop your wipers up when you know snow is coming and your car is parked outside. To clear out your windshield, avoid using the wiper, try using an ice scraper instead.
It’s recommended to change your wiper at least twice a year since it loses its effectiveness in about 6 months. For extreme winter weather conditions, it’s better to purchase winter blades instead of the regular ones since winter blades work a lot better.
Boost Your Battery Life
If your battery is more than 5 years already, consider replacing it. You wouldn’t want a dead battery in the middle of winter. In extreme weather conditions, your battery needs to work twice as hard
Take A Look at Your Tires
A lot of people have been on the fence when it comes to changing tires during winter especially when they have all-season tires installed. The danger with all-season tires is that it doesn’t give you the best traction on icy pavements especially in states with extreme winter conditions. For states that only experience light snows, changing your tires are still highly recommended since the constant use will do a number on your tires.
Keep Your Headlights Spic-and-Span
When it comes to visibility during winter, your headlights are the best option for a clearer view especially driving in the snow. If you notice that your headlights are not as bright as it should be, consider changing the lights. Never compromise visibility especially when driving conditions turn for the worse. Make sure that all your lights are working properly. It is a law to keep the headlights on whenever there is low visibility.
Another thing you can do to make your lights shine brighter without having to change bulbs is to clean and polish the headlight lens. This is a less expensive way to make sure that your lights shine brighter as it should.
Check Out Your Antifreeze
Antifreeze, popularly known as engine coolant, keeps your engine cool during warm days and prevents your engine from freezing during winter. It keeps the temperature of your engine stable so can drive safely under any weather.
Antifreeze is a mix between water and ethylene glycol. For colder temperature, the best ratio is to have 50:50 ratios between water and ethylene glycol, and for warmer climates, it’s 70:30 water and glycol. You can inspect the antifreeze on your own, just open the lid on the overflow tank and check the coolant looks bright and colorful. If you notice that it’s dark and muddy, it’s high time for you to replace it.
Work Over the Washer Fluid
The last thing that you need to need to remember is to change your washer fluid to a winter-ready washer fluid. What happens when the temperature drops, regular washer fluid freezes.
Extended Car Warranty
To get yourself ready whenever you’re on the road, it’s important to take note that whether you have a brand new car or a used car, you need to regularly maintain it. But sometimes, the inevitable issues and breakdowns happen at the most unexpected moment, so before you stress about paying for expensive repairs, make sure to have an extended car warranty or extended warranty for used cars. Get your free quote now with A-Protect Warranty!