Get Your Car Ready For Winter

The good news is, you still have some nice weather to look forward to. The bad news is – time flies! Before you know it, winter will be here and you’ll have to readjust to shorter days, cooler weather and changing driving conditions. With that in mind, is your car ready for winter? We recommend that you come into our South Auckland tyre shop and mechanical workshop and we’ll make sure your vehicle is as good as it can be. We’ll do a pre-winter vehicle service check to minimise the chances of breaking down on a cold winter’s night. And, of course, we’ll take a look at the tyres e.g. the tread, and the condition of the tyre walls. In the meantime, here are a few other things to consider now that winter is on the way.

• The cooler winter months can be hard on your battery, and its performance is pushed to the brink. This can cause it to fail when you least expect it – and when you least want it to! To allay any concerns you have about your battery’s performance, you should get it tested and replaced if that is what the experts recommend. And make sure you have a set of protected jumper cables in the boot in case of a breakdown.
• Impaired vision is a leading cause of accidents over the winter months. A lot of these crashes can be put down to a windscreen that is very difficult to see through. A blend of cold, wet conditions and greasy windscreens (typically caused by people clearing a fogged-up windscreen with their bare hands) causes smearing over the windscreen in certain light conditions. From now on, be sure to only clean your screen and all other interior glass with an automotive glass cleaner.
• On the subject of improving your vision: when was the last time you replaced your wiper blades? Worn wiper blades work far less efficiently and leave streaks all over your windscreen, making it even harder to see on a rainy winter’s day.
• When it gets dark earlier, you want to be sure your lights are clean and in good working order. When your lights function properly, you’ll not only be able to see everything you need to see, but other drivers will be able to see you too. Do a walk-round of your vehicle to check all the lights are working as they should, and check both indicators by turning your hazard lights on.
• In the case of an emergency or a breakdown, keep a winter emergency kit in the boot containing spare warm clothes, a blanket, a torch with extra batteries), a first aid kit, a high-visibility jacket, and spare food and water. Motorists we know who have used such a kit swear it’s the best thing since sliced bread.

It’s not hard to prepare your car for winter. But the small amount of time you invest in doing so could save you major hassles – and even save your life. And remember, a fundamental part of getting your car ready for the cooler season is a tyre and mechanical check. So why don’t you contact us today and book yours?