Maintenance Checklist to Keep Your European Car Running All Winter
Proper maintenance every month and season of the year will ensure your car stays running as long as possible. Winter in particular can be rough on your vehicle. There are a few important things you should do prior to the cold and snow setting in. You may choose to do these things yourself, but there are many reasons to take your European car to a reputable dealer to ensure you save money and have these tasks performed on your vehicle the right way.
Know All about Antifreeze
Replacing your vehicle’s antifreeze is one of the easiest things that you can do to winterize your car, but it is often overlooked. In fact, only 27% of drivers in the U.S. say they regularly replace their antifreeze, and only 35% have ever changed it (http://www.autobytel.com/car-ownership/advice/ten-tips-to-winterize-your-car-923/). You should change the antifreeze in your car before the cold sets in. While many people will just add antifreeze to what is already there, this is not a good idea, since antifreeze breaks down over time and becomes ineffective. You should be sure to empty and refill the antifreeze tank every time well before the cold season starts.
Care for Your Tires
You were probably taught in your driver’s education courses to always check your tires before you get in your car to go anywhere. It is true of course that this is very important to do every time you get in the car and should not take more than a few seconds. However, it becomes especially important in the wintertime when you really need all of your tires to have sufficient tread and the cold weather will probably lower your tire pressure as well. Regular tire pressure checks are easy to have done and usually do not take more than a few minutes.
Be Aware of Your Lights
If you are like most drivers, then you probably do not realize that one of your lights is out or is dim until someone brings it up to you or until you get pulled over. Fixing them before they burn out is something that does not take a lot of time and is pretty inexpensive to boot. Make sure that your lights are all fully functional and have lots of life left in them before the days grow shorter and fog and snow limit your visibility while on the road.
Winterizing your car is something that you simply cannot afford to overlook. You can save money and time on European automotive repair and service during the winter if you take care to complete these crucial winterizing tasks before the weather freezes.
