New cars in cold climates need winterizing. And every car needs to be well-maintained to give you the best chance of seeing it safely through the winter. Your car can survive the winter with a little love. These are the most important things to keep in mind when the snow begins to fall:
Tires
Tires come in three basic flavors: summer tires, all-season tires, and snow tires.
Cars arriving in Minnesota from hot climates are generally equipped with summer tires. Summer tires are useless and dangerous in the snow. If that’s what you have, you need new tires ASAP.
Cars that never leave Minnesota city need at least all-season tires. These can be used in the car all year round and provide reasonable grip on ice and snow. In Minneapolis, St. Paul, and other urban areas, snow is generally plowed. Even with an average 50 inches it can drop in the winter, it’s actually quite unusual to drive a lot in the snow unless it’s snowing heavily while driving. Neighborhood streets don’t plow that fast, but all-season tires can usually deal with the kind of slow driving required on a short trip around the neighborhood.
A better and safer option, and the only option for cars driving off the main roads, is snow tires. These tires have better grip on snow and ice. They will need to be replaced with summer or all-weather tires when summer comes as they will wear out very quickly when driven on snow-free roads.
Make sure the tires have enough tread and check that the tires are inflated to the correct pressure.
What about snow chains and studded tires? Studded tires are illegal in Minnesota because of the damage they cause on the roads. As for snow chains, you may need them in rural areas, but since most roads in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and the surrounding urban area are plowed quickly, snow chains are highly unlikely to be necessary.
Antifreeze
No antifreeze in your car will mean a huge repair bill if the water in your car’s cooling system freezes and breaks any of the pipes. Most garages will check the antifreeze levels for free. Many automakers and garages recommend that cars have their radiators flushed and refilled with antifreeze once a year.
Drums
No car likes to start in the cold. A newer, good battery is essential to avoid running out of power.
Windshield wiper and washer fluid
Good windshield wipers are vital for visibility when driving in snow or sleet. And they’re just as vital when driving through the cocktail of sleet, salt, sand, and ice-melting chemicals on the roads, all of which end up on the windshield. In addition to replacing the windshield wipers, replenish the washer fluid. A tank full of flushing fluid (anything else will freeze) will last about a winter of commuting.
Ice scraper and snow brush
Usually a joint tool is available cheaply in stores and service stations. Get one with a long handle so your hands don’t get too cold when clearing snow.
Brush snow off the windows, roof, and hood of the car with the snow brush, then thoroughly clean the windshield and all windows with the scraper.
You should also clear snow from the roof and hood; otherwise, when you brake, the snow on the roof will fall forward in front of the windshield. And the snow on the hood will blow onto the windshield as you drive.
Prevent rust
The aforementioned substrate, sand, sand, and ice melting chemicals, as well as splatter on windshields, also collects on the underside of cars and accelerates corrosion. The easiest way to keep the underside of the car as rust-free as possible is to spray the underside of the car at a car wash, once a month.
Regular maintenance
If it is important in regular driving, it is probably even more so in winter driving. The safest car for driving in the snow is well maintained. Follow your car’s recommended maintenance schedules and keep brakes, spark plugs, oil, lights, and other essential components in good working order.
