Maintaining Your Car This Winter - Top Tips - Part 1

A: Jerri Murtagh

With just one week to go until December - and exactly one month until Christmas Eve - we wanted to share our top tips for winter driving and maintaining your car during the upcoming festive season.

Be Prepared Before Driving
It is important to check your car is fully functional and ensure your windscreen is clear at all times when driving. Your car’s in-built heaters can help to encourage any ice on your windows to melt faster and many cars nowadays also feature heated windscreens, which can completely melt any frost within a matter of minutes. For those that don’t, there are other simple alternatives available such as windscreen deicer and carrying a scraper in your car during the winter months. Please do remember to never leave your car running unattended though.

Winter Tyres
If it’s likely you are going to be driving in challenging conditions, winter tyres may provide additional peace of mind, as the compound rubber in a summer tyre begins to harden once temperatures drop below 7 degrees. Winter tyres are constructed with a different compound to offer greater control, a better grip and enhanced performance in colder climates.

If winter tyres are not required, it is advisable to check the tread and pressure of your current tyres as they can massively impact the response of your vehicle, especially in adverse weather. The current legal requirement for cars in the UK and Europe is 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tyre, however most experts recommend a minimum tread depth of 3mm for tyre replacement.

Service and MOT 
Ensure your service and MOT are both up-to-date as they will both ensure that your car is running effectively and properly maintained. A service is usually recommended every 12,000 miles or every 12 months, whichever comes sooner, and your MOT will be due on a yearly basis. Our service centre is currently open and available to assist with any bookings by calling 0161 516 0881. 

Antifreeze and Battery
Ensure that your antifreeze is topped up as this will stop the water in the engine's cooling system from freezing. Coolant should be changed every 2 - 5 years, depending on the car and the type of coolant required. You may also want to ensure that your battery is checked and healthy, as this is one of the top causes of breakdowns - especially in cold weather. 

Consider driving a 4x4
If you are thinking of purchasing a new car, you may wish to consider a four-wheel (4WD) or all-wheel (AWD) model. The market has significantly increased in recent years, offering affordable vehicles that can provide added safety in the winter. Both options can improve traction in dangerous conditions, in addition to being more likely to get you moving, as each tyre requires less grip that a standard two-wheel drive model. Click here to view our current range. 

Part 2 now avaialble to read on our blog here.