Ten Smart Ways to Winterize Your Car
Over the river and through the woods, or more like, down the icy mountain and over the windy bridge. Around the snow-filled plows and through the congested parkways! Cassidy used to say that every time he was in the snow, he’d get a new wrinkle. After 15 years in California, with only occasional and OPTIONAL jaunts to Lake Tahoe or even back here on the east coast, he didn’t come across snow too often. What I say is that every time I have to drive in the snow, with kids, I get a gray hair. Here are ten SMART ways to winterize your car, especially if you live in a state with extreme cold temperatures, like we certainly do!
Winterize Your Car!
Every time I drive in snow, I say it will be the last time. I will never go through it again. And then, we get a freak snowstorm in October (three inches last month!) and Scarlet is coming home from the School’s Out Club on a bus going 15 mph from Springfield, MA, and I’m in the car with Des – wringing my hands and saying, “I thought we had more time before this. I’m not prepared for THIS. No one is ever prepared for THIS.. in October.” Want the good news? You CAN be prepared for THIS.
I have some pretty hilarious holiday travel stories under my belt!
There was the Christmas Eve that I flew into JFK Airport from San Francisco around midnight – after severe delays – and the entire airport had run out of rental cars. I had to drive two hours to northwest NJ and had to wait for them to drive in a car from Manhattan. In traffic. Then there was the time we got caught in a snowbank on our way from Cassidy’s mom’s house to Logan International. All of the neighbors came out to help!
Perhaps the best story was when we got caught in a blizzard in Vermont and had to drive off a mountain to Boston, then board a rocky flight to New York City, and then a six hour one to San Francisco. I had the middle seat! The scariest part was the drive off the mountain. Luckily, our brains were filled with the goodness of the weekend – shooting stars & dog sledding.
Ten Smart Ways to Winterize Your Car
1 – Let’s start with the most important one! Pack and keep an emergency kit in your car. While you probably already have a spare tire, the tools to change one, and jumper cables, pack flashlights, flares, extra gloves, a blanket, boots, coats.
2 – Check or replace windshield wipers and windshield fluids. You tend to need them more than ever in the winter – with the snow, the ice, and even the salt. It is recommended to replace wipers every six to 12 months.
3 – Check and maintain defrosting and heating. Ever morning our windshields have been fogging up lately. I tell Scarlet it’s because the moisture from inside the car condenses on the glass and makes it difficult to see and drive. Defrosters are wonderful – but only if functioning properly. If it’s too much fogging, there may be an air leak in the car. Check heating too!
4 – Keep your fuel tank full. I know it’s easier said than done. It’s more important than ever in the winter – with cold and shifting temperatures. It’s also important to have a full tank in case of a power outage or other emergency.
Halfway through!
5 – Check your battery. They should last about five years, but it’s best to keep track of when it’s time to get a new one. The winter months are tougher on engines, which puts more pressure on the battery.
6 – Check your tire air pressure and consider using snow tires. Here in New England we get studded tires in the winter, and have to have them off by May. We carry such important cargo (our kids!) over pretty icy roads, whether we like to or not.
7 – Check your car’s belts and hoses. We get this done when we send our car in for a tune-up.
8 – Service your vehicle regularly, especially if I missed anything on this list! The Auto Care Center will look.
9 – Keep your car clean of debris. For many reasons, including safety and comfort.
10 – Head to your nearest automotive care center for 1-stop shopping. You can drop your car at an automotive care center for an oil change, while doing your holiday, trip, grocery, or anything shopping. Personally, I leave my oil changes to the experts.
As much as I wish we weren’t heading into winter, i know we are. And you are right we need to be prepared as far as our cars go. I actually do need an oil change on mine and thanks for the reminder and tip to take to Walmart now for this, too.
I’m still not ready to admit it! If it weren’t for Florida next week.. it was six degrees here this morning!
OK, although my kids have dreams of winter fun, it’s the summer here that destroys your car if you aren’t careful. I love the Walmart Auto Center!
Your kids can totally come visit us for an authentic winter fun experience!
I’m still in love with your house!! SO BEAUTIFUL!!!
This is totally off subject, but I HAVE to share. I was at the kids’ Veterans Day program on Thursday and I saw your doppelganger!! I kept telling my husband oh my goodness she looks like Tamara.
XOXO
It looks like a ski lodge!
I wish you had taken a photo of my doppelganger! I don’t hear about that a lot, but once I went to Canada, and three people told me they knew my “twin.” Maybe I’m Canadian?
This has reminded me that my car needs a good clean. Big time. There is many debris inside of it, ha.
Ours were doing great, but now winter has taken its icy grip on us, and it’s all salt and slush on the outside. At least the inside is still ok!
This is very good information! Having lived in the north country for many years, I know that winter and cars are not the best mix.
It’s terrible, right??
Cassidy’s car is on the newer side and it was six degrees this morning, and his car was quite unhappy about working well.
By the way, we’ll be in Florida next week but unlike the last few years, no St. Augustine this year. Sob! Cassidy is headed to St. Petersburg for a day, though.
It’s very cold here today, but back to normal nice weather later in the week. By the way, The Dali Museum in St. Pete is a great place to go if it fits your plans.
The weather has been so warm this fall I could almost forget that winter is coming. Time to get the car ready!
I remember that! And now..?? I miss it!
It’s so mild here, we don’t really have to worry about winterizing. But we might need to build a boat instead. Sigh. Also, your house looks like a Christmas card!
I remember that from my one visit to the PNW. It was about 50-60 in March, while back home, it was 20!
We have had an unusually warm fall in Chicagoland! A couple of years ago it was snowing on Halloween, and this year it was practically balmy! I’m expecting snow soon, however, and have new tires and a new battery. My car is ready even if I’m not!
That’s what Akaleistar was saying above! She’s not in Chicago but I think the midwest. I can’t even really remember fall. It was awesome, but now it’s six degrees!
These snow pictures are so beautiful. I miss the snow. We had it in DC, but we’ve never lived anywhere as cold as Massachusetts. I’m thinking I probably don’t have to winterize in Georgia. But I still miss this pretty white fluffy stuff!!!!
Probably not!
Although there was snow in NC yesterday. I wonder if you got any dustings or anything?
I wish!! I’ve missed snow for 2.5 years now!! We used to live in D.C., and I loved it. You know we didn’t have on the CA coast, and here in Georgia we were too far south. I miss it. I am a serious snow enthusiast! I went walking in the freezing cold temps the past two days, and I was as happy as a hog in mud.
#4 and #9 I can pay more attention to. I personally don’t ever have a full tank of gas and there have been days where I drive on almost E because I’m too lazy to drive to the gas station. I know, totally wrong. My floor is also a disaster. With 3 kids constantly on the go, they tend to just leave their junk in there. Maybe I’ll clean it this weekend! BTW, since the Walmart auto center is so close by, I tend to just go there and have them do everything for me. I never do anything myself.
Not wrong. We do it all the time! Sometimes when we borrow each other’s cars, the other has left it on “E”, and we get quite annoyed!!
Wow, you’ve got some pretty awesome holiday travel stories! (Dog-sledding! How fun was that??) Hopefully this year doesn’t add to the list of craziness. Thanks for the reminders about these car care tips. It’s easy to forget about car care when we’re busy packing up suitcases, snacks and kids for that trip to see Grammy! #client
Dog sledding? Love it -they are so cute. No rental cars? Sounds like an awful experience! Great tips Tamara, I need to have my wipers replaced before the weather starts.
I’ve had some bad rental car experiences! I hope it goes ok in FL next week.
My wipers are terrible this year!
My hubby is OBSESSED with dog sledding. Sometime I would like to spring for him to go on a dog sledding trip. Man, he would love that!
Great winterizing tips Tamara. I should get on that. I’m still in “winter denial” lol.
Thanks for sharing.
xoxo
Cassidy was too! Now we have gone dog sledding twice together. So expensive and so worth it!
I’m STILL in winter denial, and it’s totally here!
I need to invest in an emergency kit for winter. I’m really thankful we don’t get much snow because it’s terrifying trying to drive on snow.
Every time I do it, I say I’ll never do it again..
But sometimes I have to! Like if it starts mid-afternoon and I have to pick the kids up!
I am excited to have all-wheel drive for the first time ever! I don’t know how I have managed to live in New England for 12 years without it. Driving in winter in a tiny Jetta was never fun.
I once got stuck in a snow bank backing out of my driveway…and it was during the morning rushhour commute and my street which is normally two lanes was down to one and I was blocking the whole street. So embarrassing! Thankfully the guys in the two cars behind me helped to push me out.
Oh yay! And this winter is starting to really pack a punch, right? We’re getting it here in the western part of the state!
Great tips, Tamara. We do frequent battery checks in the desert because of the heat. Batteries only last a maximum of 3 years.
When its time to winterize your car to over come the situation of failure of the vehicle in winter the above mentioned tips are very useful to the car owner. Keeping fuel tank full, brake system in proper working order, good functional condition of the tire may helps your car running on the road smoothly. Using snow tire having right amount of air pressure in it in this snowy weather is the better way to make your ride joyful.