Winter is Coming! Our Best Tips to Protect Your Car against the Approaching Winter Weather
Winter has always been the biggest enemy of cars. Anyone who cannot have a garage fears the arrow, frost, and hail every year. These elements often put a strain on the tightness of the bodywork and mechanical components of the car.
Tips to protect your car against the approaching winter weather.
To understand how to protect the car from frost, we suggest seven tips to protect your vehicle against the approaching winter weather. Let's find out together.
Using chains or winter tires for more grip on snow
First, pay attention to a weak grip when it snows. If you are in a mountain location where snow can be frequent, it is advisable to wear suitable winter tires.
Tire chains for snow
In November of each year, snow protection devices are essential, such as winter tires to be fitted instead of summer tires or snow chains to be taken on board. In each region, there are roads with the obligation of chains or winter tires.
Our advice is to consult your region-by-region guides. Once the car has been prepared for the winter, it is good to keep in mind some useful tips, especially if you are facing mountainous or unusually cold areas.
Preparing the car properly with a detailed checklist
The second-most important thing is to prepare the car for the winter. Mainly, set your car appointment with a complete check-up, possibly in a specialized workshop.
Preparing the car properly
It is necessary to check the battery's condition, the lights, the wiper blades, the tire pressure, the heating system, and fluids such as oil and wiper fluid. Notably, many people forget the antifreeze on the engine.
The latter is one of the most important things to check because, with freezing ice, it can break the pipes that contain the water (liquid) for cooling the radiator or even the cylinder head.
Watch out for tire pressure
Only sometimes of reduced grip can you lower it by a few points to increase the grip of the wheel on the ground. However, it must be put back in the correct values. We consider that during the winter, the increase in tire pressure because of heating with travel is meager.
Warm up the car before leaving
Among the tips, notice to warm up the car engine before leaving. In the past, this practice was more common, especially on diesel engines, to bring coolant and engine oil to temperature.
In modern cars, the engine's time to reach the right temperature has been significantly reduced thanks to particularly advanced thermostats and management of the cooling system. Therefore, avoid heating the car while stationary for a long time is more natural.
If it exposes the car to intense cold, wait for one minute to give the oil time to warm up. It must reach a minimum amount but does not go above 4,000 gram/minute if on petrol and 2,500 gram/minute if diesel until it reaches temperature.
Four-wheel drive in winter helps, but only with winter tires!
Among the things to know in winter, also remember that the 4×4 all-wheel-drive alone on snow and low-grip roads helps but is not yet over the top. For the maximum traction on these surfaces with an all-wheel drive, you need to fit the right tires.
Winter tires for 4x4 off-road drive
And the winter tires are the best choice with no doubt. Remember that a simple dry and wet winter tire is much more performing than an unaged summer tire during wintertime.
Car cover for protection from snow or frost
If you don't have a garage, you can protect your car in the winter with the car cover. There are many offers that you can choose from at a car accessories shop, or online. Even a cheap product is enough.
Car cover
The first fundamental step for car protection is to buy a comprehensive car cover. The advice is not to skimp on the quality of the product. On an online platform, there are various offers suitable for all budgets and all cars.
However, an economically more demanding product with a more significant number of layers is better. It guarantees car protection in winter higher than the less expensive models.
We now make the blankets for many vehicles from utility SUVs. They are an excellent solution for those looking for optimal cold car protection, even without leveraging a box.
Driving tips on snow and ice
As for driving, remember that in the presence of snow or ice on a motorway or a state road, it is better not to use the cruise control in your car. Because in these driving conditions, you can quickly lose control of the vehicle.
Remember to drive gently and avoid sudden maneuvers when steering, braking, or speeding up. Pay particular attention to measuring brakes in the presence of snow or ice, uniquely if it is not equipped with ABS.
The spaces are getting longer. Therefore, for calculating that to stop, you need many more meters. So slow down first! Finally, in winter, it demands a lot of attention when crossing bridges and over-passing where ice forms are more natural.
Besides protecting the bodywork, careful car maintenance in winter is also essential. The first step to being able to drive safely is to have winter tires installed on your car. So, you can have excellent control of the vehicle despite the harsh temperatures.
Final Words
If you have arrived here at the bottom, you will have understood the tips to protect your car against the approaching winter weather. It is also necessary to use antifreeze to prevent the coolants of the engine.
The windshield and rear window washing prevent your car from freezing. It is essential to check the battery condition in advance since the cold is notoriously its arch enemy.
So follow these few and simple tips to face the winter without worries. You can protect your car and drive safely.