The holidays are finally over and the heavy stages of winter are approaching. Us Northeasterners have gotten lucky with abnormally warm weather in the past couple of months, which makes it hard to ignore the possibility of seeing some low temperatures and brutal weather conditions in the near future.
With constant advancements in the automobile industry, the cost of buying and maintaining a vehicle is rising. The cold weather can take a toll on your vehicle if you are not informed about the dangers and prepared to prevent them. Oil gets thicker in cold weather, which leads to a less lubricated vehicle engine. Make sure you get your oil changed at an auto body shop before the winter. It is also important to make sure that your car battery is in good shape- unless, of course, you enjoy being stuck on the side of the road in the snow!
Next, have a body shop check that your belts and hoses have not been damaged and that your tires are properly inflated. It is common for your tires to lose some air as the temperature drops, but it is important to keep an eye on them. Checking your vehicle’s windshield wiper blades is crucial but often overlooked. If your wipers are over a year old, and hardly do their job, a bad snowstorm can easily block your vision of the road. It is also helpful to have a full tank of windshield washer fluid and highly-functioning defrosters.
Before letting your vehicle take on the harsh winter months, put together an emergency kit with warm clothes, jumper cables, flares, a shovel, ice scraper and a spare tire. Having these items will alleviate lots of stress in the case of an emergency. Have more questions about preparing for the winter? Give us a call at (718) 948-8585 or visit our auto body shop at 4301 Amboy Rd Staten Island, New York!