The holiday season might be known as the most wonderful time of the year, but thanks to winter weather it’s also one of the most dangerous times of the year. Winter driving requires patience and preparation, so before you set off to drive over the river and through the woods to grandma’s house, test your winter driving IQ.
Cross Off Preventative Maintenance
Be honest, have you been dragging your feet to get your oil changed or new tires put on? The best time to take care of preventative maintenance is before the first snowfall of the year. Breaking down on a nice night in the summer is much more pleasurable than breaking down in a snowbank when it’s below freezing! Take your car in to Maven Motors body shop in Baltimore MD and have all of the basics checked, from your tire pressure to your spark plugs.
Check Your Coolant and Wiper Fluid
If you will be driving in snow or ice, you need to make sure that you have plenty of the right type of antifreeze. While choosing a 100% coolant mixture might sound the best, a 50-50 mixture has a lower freezing point, making it better for winter driving. When you take your car in for preventative maintenance, have your coolant drained and replaced. This will get rid of any rust or dirt particles clogging up the system and provide you with fresh, new coolant. Beyond filling up the tank before you leave for your road trip, you should also always keep a gallon of antifreeze in your car. On a snowy road trip, you can easily use up a half gallon of washer fluid to keep the windshield clear. If it’s very cold out, you should be prepared to supplement your high-quality windshield wiper fluid with additional concentrate to prevent freezing.
Keep Your Tank Full
In the spring and summer, there’s no harm in letting your gas tank run close to E before stopping at a gas station. However, in the winter it’s dangerous to let your gas tank fall below 50%. Your fuel lines could freeze, and you’ll be in big trouble when you try to get your car going. You also want to have plenty of gas in case you get stranded and need to run your engine while your car idles.
Ace Winter Driving with Maven Motors
Maven Motors in Baltimore, Maryland is a locally known expert in all matters related to auto body work and car repairs. Our skilled technicians excel at frame measuring, frame straightening, auto painting and paint matching, dent removal and much more! We consider honesty and integrity to be the most important values when it comes to running a business. We always do what is right for the customer. To learn more about our body shop, contact us today by calling (410) 358-1114.