Cold weather and slippery roads are once again at the doorstep. That means it’s time to prepare your car for winter. These days, a lot of motorists don’t really think about basic maintenance and pre-winter prep because newer cars require less overall maintenance than they did a few golden years ago. But the reality is that car owners can do several things to get ready for the cold season. Changing over to winter tires is the most important move to make. They are adapted for cold pavement and icy conditions and increase road safety beyond measure. After the tires, it is important to change the wiper blades, even if they don’t seem to show any wear. Opting for special winter wiper blades is a great idea, as winter blades are designed to prevent ice build-up. Long before the first snowfall, all the engine fluids should be checked, starting with the windshield washer liquid. You don’t need a mechanic to do a simple job like this one. If you don’t know where to find the spouts for the other engine fluids, look in your owner’s manual, located in the glove compartment. Incidentally, browsing through that little book could bring you some useful information on all kinds of things you can do to keep your car in top shape. Buy a set of special winter rubber mats for the interior. Protecting your car’s carpeting from melting snow and salt is another way of keeping the vehicle’s resale value. If your new car is equipped with block heating but you are not familiar with how it works, ask your mechanic to show you where the plug is. In fact, why not ask your mechanic to give your car a looking over before winter. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that everything’s okay just because you don’t hear any clunking or grinding! In the coldest season of the year, you want to be able to drive in complete confidence that everything’s working perfectly.

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