Winter makes life harder for everything; sniffles become rife, it gets darker earlier and energy bills skyrocket, but that’s to say nothing of the problems your car faces during the big chill. Colder weather puts greater strain on your vehicle, and while it may work excellently in normal weather, if there are any faults in your car, you can be sure the winter weather will amplify them. This month, therefore, we’ll be showing you how to prepare against and avoid breakdowns this coming winter.
Avoid Dead Batteries
Your car’s battery is essential to the smooth running of your vehicle, so keeping it in good condition is paramount. That might be considered a given, but what you might not know is that batteries struggle to perform as well in the cold. In winter, you are more likely to drive at slower speeds, which means the alternator has less chance to charge the battery. To avoid draining your battery, reduce the number of electrical devices you have activated in your car. For instance, charge your phone at home instead of through the cigarette lighter. You can also have your battery checked to guarantee full efficiency.
Check Your Tyres / Consider Winter Tyres
Before winter hits in earnest, have your tyres checked. You can do this yourself, as detailed in our previous article Checking Your Tyres: 3 Step Checklist, but it always pays to have them checked by a professional, too. In addition, winter tyres may be an apt choice for you to consider. Winter tyres are expertly developed to provide greater driving control in cold weather.
Keep Your Fuel Tank Full
With the cold biting outside, the only thing standing between you and your passengers getting blue fingers and toes is the warmth of the engine. Traffic moves slower in winter, so the time you spend outside at the mercy of the cold could be extensive. A full fuel tank will help you keep the cold at bay.
Car Servicing
Although you may think that your car is in peak condition, without a full and comprehensive service, you can never be sure that there are no underlying problems. The cold weather will accentuate the problems, turning them into major faults that will be extremely costly to remedy. Book your vehicle in for a service before winter hits to prepare against this.
Learn to Keep Control of Your Car In Harsh Conditions
Snow and ice make it harder to control your vehicle than normal, with the slippery conditions immensely increasing the chance of wheel spin and braking distances alike. One of the most common reasons for breakdowns in the winter involves a crash because the driver was inexperienced in snowy conditions. Be sure, therefore, to learn how to drive in wintery conditions and, above all, take it slow.
If you run into trouble with your vehicle this winter, or if you’d like to prepare it for the cold with a comprehensive service, Citroen-Peugeot Specialists Ltd are here to help. We offer professional, high quality MOTs and car services at an affordable price for those in the North London area from our centrally located garage in Finchley. We also carry out all manner of repairs and maintenance ranging from air conditioning to clutch repairs, tyre fittings to wheel balancing. To book your vehicle in with us, contact our friendly team today.