How To Get Your Car Ready For Winter

Essential checklist to prepare your car for cold weather

Whether we like it or not, winter is approaching, which means a whole new landscape for motoring. The cold weather affects not only the way we drive, but the way in which we look after our cars too, as they can be sensitive to the drop in temperature. 

As a trusted service centre in Glastonbury, Somerset, we at Avalon Motor Company help our customers get their cars ready for winter, but there are a few ways in which you can work towards this at home too

1. Spend some time on your tyres

As the parts of your car that stay in contact with the road, you’ll want to make sure that they’re ready for anything; including wet or icy surfaces. Many motorists choose to swap to winter tyres when the season approaches, which maximises grip on the road. In addition to or instead of this, the basics of winter tyre maintenance include checking that they’re correctly inflated, and are well within the legal tread depth, which is 1.6mm. 

2. Check your levels

If you thought coolant was just for hot weather, think again; you can top it up with 50% antifreeze, which is essential for keeping things moving when temperatures drop below freezing. This isn’t the only level you should be checking; your regular engine oil check is as important as ever, and you’ll need plenty of washer fluid for those winter road conditions that can flick a lot of dirt up onto the windscreen. 

3. Be on top of your battery health

Avoid that dreaded sound of a non-starter - if you’ve noticed that your car is taking a little longer to get going, it’s time to get it checked. The battery should last around 5 years, so use this as a mental marker for when you could expect your battery to need replacement.  

4. Give your lights some love 

Take the time to check that all your bulbs are working, including not only your headlights and side lights, but also your brake lights, indicators, and even your fog lights. Clean the lenses and ensure there’s no damage to them either. With less daylight and the potential for worse weather, visibility is everything, so you’ll want to give yourself and your car the best chance of seeing and being seen. 

5. Be aware of your brakes 

This is perhaps the most obvious car maintenance to stay vigilant on when it comes to winter weather, slippery road surfaces, and therefore impacted stopping distances. At the first sign of brake trouble (unusual noises, slow braking, and veering to one side), head to your local service centre to diagnose the problem and arrange the necessary brake part replacement. 

Get your car ready for winter at Avalon Motor Company 

With a team of qualified and experienced technicians at our disposal in our well-equipped service centre, we’re happy to help cars of all shapes, sizes, makes and models get ready for winter. 

If you need a hand making sure everything is as it should be, or one of those bigger jobs needs doing, don’t hesitate to give Avalon Motor Company a call; we’ll be happy to help!