Hey! Dan here with the second installment of one of our most popular blog posts of last year.
Although FNDN products do help a lot during the winter seasons, they only help so much. There are other aspects of your winter life that require attention to make the cold temperatures more bearable, and one of the most important is your vehicle.
To help you out past keeping your body warm, check out our new & improved list of how you can prepare your car for winter.
4. Get the Proper Oil for Your Next Oil Change
We all know that regular oil changes are the most important part of maintaining your car's integrity, but not many know that you should change the type of oil you put in your car during freezing temperatures.
Oil tends to thicken as it gets colder, and if you're using thick oil to begin with, it could lead to long-term damage to your vehicle's engine.
Be sure to check the owner's manual of your vehicle and look at their recommendations for which oil to use in different climates & temperatures.
3. Check Your Battery Health
Before it gets too freezing, check the status of your vehicle battery's posts & connections. Make sure there's no corrosion and handle it if there is some.
If your battery is older than three years, bring it to a repair shop to ensure that it's holding the necessary charge.
If you don't, you could end up with asking a stranger for a jump in the middle of a blizzard - if you're so lucky to have somebody around.
2. Consider Switching to Snow Tires
If you're anywhere near where I grew up in Central Connecticut, snow tires are almost a necessity. Slipping & sliding down the streets of Downtown New Haven is probably the most stressful environment I've been in, besides NYC on New Year's Eve.
The peace of mind of having improved traction when racing to work is worth every penny.
If you do decide to go shopping for snow tires, be sure to ask about any secret fees that might come into play. You can check easily by asking different auto shops about their "out the door charge".
1. Check the Status of Your Four-Wheel Drive
Just having 4WD isn't enough if you abuse it every year; it's important to check the integrity of the system itself.
I remember when I had my first truck ('92 Dodge Dakota) a few centuries ago, I assumed the 4WD would work no problem in the first snow storm. Well, it was garbage, and I needed to call my father to have him chain my pathetic starter truck to his monster 8 foot bed Silverado to pull me out of a parking lot.
Anyways, it's an easy check; just make sure that 4WD engages & disengages easily, and that all drivers using your vehicle know how and when to activate it.
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Did I miss anything big? Do you have a funny getting stuck in the snow rescue story, too?
Let me know in the comments!
Dan
Author
FNDN
P.S. Working hard outside this winter? Say goodbye to freezing legs with our brand-new Heated Skin-Fit Base Layer Pants!
