Tips for Winterizing your car

Here in Northern Maine, it gets cold. That’s a fact of life, really. Maine, the way life should be! That’s what I think anyway. I like the cold, as long as snow follows. It never seems as cold if we have snow for some reason.

With that being said, here are some tips for winterizing your vehicle. Because, let’s face it… it matters, at least here in Maine it does. Especially with all of the snow that we’ve received lately.

1. Get the right kind of oil change. I always put off getting my oil changed, but it really does matter, especially given the upcoming cold snap that is winter in northern Maine. If your oil doesn’t have the right thickness, it won’t do the best job of keeping your engine lubricated.

2. Put on winter wiper blades. You know you don’t want to be the one driving down the road with your arm stuck out the window trying to grab your wipers and beat them off the windshield to break the ice off them. We’ve all been there… I don’t recommend it.

3. Check your battery. You don’t want any corrosion around the battery posts, as it could give you trouble down the road… literally. Don’t be that guy or gal who is calling all your friends looking for a boost in 20 below weather.

4. Check your belts and hoses. Make sure everything is tight.

5. Check your tire pressure. Proper tire inflation is crucial here in northern Maine. It will also ensure that you have the best possible traction on the roads.

6. Gotta have the snow tires. I prefer to run studded snow tires on my car. For some reason it just makes me feel more safe when driving on snow and ice covered roads.

7. Do you have 4 wheel drive? If you do, make sure it is working properly.

8. Have the proper antifreeze ratio. Shoot for a 50-50 mix of antifreeze and water inside your radiator. This will prevent the mixture from freezing even at ridiculously cold temperatures.

9. Have an emergency kit in your vehicle. We never think getting stranded will happen to us, but you never know what might happen. A few things to include: blanket, flashlight, ice scraper, food, jumper cables, etc.

10. Know what to do if you get stranded. Whether that be calling someone to help or just staying put. Light some flares. If you have enough gas in the tank, run the engine and heater for about 10 minutes for each hour you’re waiting for help.

I hope you have found these tips helpful!