Our advice for preparing you and your car for the winter months
With more people avoiding public transport these days and opting to drive their own cars to work, it’s important you make sure your car is suitably ready for colder weather and hazardous driving conditions.
We’ve put together a list of ways you can prepare:
1. Book your car a check-up
If your car is due for a service, get it done now before it gets cold rather than after. You will feel much more at ease knowing nothing serious needs doing until spring and it will provide you peace of mind on your morning commute.
Even if your car isn’t due a service, there is no harm in asking your local garage if they could give your car a quick check over to make sure it’s good to go! At the end of the day, they are the experts.
2. Don’t forget your fluids
Screenwash, antifreeze, oil. Checking these three essential fluids are topped up and ready is an easy way to make sure you aren’t getting yourself into a spot of bother first thing on a Monday morning as the frost rolls in when you were least expecting it too. We suggest purchasing this handy scraper and antifreeze kit from Halfords.
3. Car emergency kit – you’re better safe than sorry
Purchasing a standard emergency/breakdown kit for your car, which you can hide in the boot and forget about, may become your best friend if you encounter a sticky situation.
Most kits come with everything you would need to either: fix the problem yourself or keep you safe whilst you wait for help. Especially with the handy items you wouldn’t think of like a rechargeable torch and compass. You can even get them in different colours, (I got mine in pink!).
4. Keep em clean!
Regularly washing your car in the winter is an easy way to increase visibility. Making sure your headlights aren’t covered in grime, salt and dirt from the wet roads mean not only will it make it easier for you to see on those dark journeys to and from work, but other drivers can see you better too.
Our extra tip if you frequently make long journeys, is to make sure you are clearing any large build-ups of road salt. Over time the salt will cause some serious damage to your vehicle due to its corrosive nature. Allow time at the weekends to check under bonnet and remove the excess that has built up throughout the week.
5. Set your alarm earlier!
You’ll thank me for this later, but no matter how chill your boss is, the last thing you want to be doing in the morning is stressing because you didn’t realise you needed to defrost your car and now you’re running late for work.
Allowing enough time for your car to properly warm-up and defrost will not only save you from a scolding at work but it makes it a lot safer to drive. Please don’t pour boiling hot kettle water on your windscreen to speed up the process, it won’t do you any favours in the long run!
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