Car Winterizing Tips for Nanaimo Drivers

Get Your Car Ready For The Colder Weather

Do you know where your snow brush is? Neither do I, in fact I don't intend to dig it out until I actually need it, no point in wasting all that time for something I might not need. As a rule it is inside the car when I need it, which means I have to clear the snow to get at it. Wonder what would happen if I splurged and got a second one I kept someplace else, like not in the car?

A perfectly good summer-performing battery can leave you suddenly late for work one morning when the temperature drops and your battery takes a vacation. Take a half hour and have your favourite mechanic do a drop test on the battery to see just what kind of shape it is in anyway. The cost of the jump start or tow would likely pay for at least half of the battery you will have to buy later anyway. Incidentally a drop test does not involve dropping your battery on the floor, so do not attempt to do it yourself!

Plain water works perfectly well in your windshield washer reservoir, but turns into hose-busting ice when/if it freezes, not to mention you won't be able to clear your windshield when that big truck plasters your windows. Why not put winter grade cleaner in your windshield washer now, before you need it.

Speaking of windshields is a reminder to check your wiper blades to see if they will get you through a winter which can put more demands on the blades than plain old rain does. Snow and ice build ups on poor blades can suddenly make visibility near zero which is not a good way to drive anytime.

Even more important than windshield washer fluid is the proper antifreeze in your rad to make sure you don't freeze your engine if we do get hit with one of those most unusual freezing snaps. A frozen engine can be a major expense avoidable with some good grade antifreeze.

A set of chains, a small snow shovel and even a small bag of sand will likely get you out of any little snow, slippery road mishap you may encounter this winter should we actually get any of the white stuff on the roads. We Nanaimoites are quick to say during the winter rainy season: "well at least you don't have to shovel it', but every now and then ole man winter slips one in on us and it never hurts to be prepared.