Winter Check – What do I need to do?

Check your car

• Antifreeze– check coolant level regularly and, if required, top-up with a mixture of the correct type of antifreeze. We check concentration to ensure adequate cold temperature protection.
• Battery– the most common cause of winter breakdowns. A battery more than five years old may struggle in the cold – get it checked and replaced if necessary to avoid the inconvenience of an unplanned failure.
• Fuel– keep at least a quarter of a tank in case of unexpected delay.
• Lights– check and clean all lights regularly to make sure you can see and be seen clearly. Carry spare bulbs.  We fit them free of charge!
• Tyres– should have at least 3mm of tread for winter motoring. Consider winter tyres for improved safety. Check pressures at least every fortnight.
• Windscreen– reduce dazzle from the low sun by keeping the screen clean inside and out.  Now is a good time to renew worn wiper blades.  Autoglym products are great for clearing screens inside and out – glass cleaner and deicer
• Screen wash– use a 50% mix of a good quality screen wash to reduce the chance of freezing in frosty weather.
• Locks and door seals– stop doors freezing shut with a thin coat of polish or Vaseline on rubber door seals.  A squirt of water dispersant (WD-40) in locks will help stop them freezing.

You and your passengers

Prepare for the worst and hope for the best.  As well as the things you should be carrying on every journey regardless of the weather, you should make up a winter emergency kit to keep in the boot – hopefully you won’t need it but you will be very glad it’s there if you do.

When bad weather is forecast

• Warm winter coat, scarf, hat, gloves and warm clothes
• Waterproofs
• Sturdy boots
• Flask of hot drink