For the first time since the Civil War the Northeast has been blasted by a devastating Nor’easter.   Wide spread havoc on the roadways, major power outages w/over 3 million without service and weeks to fix & clean-up!  Over 12 inches of snow came down across most of the area…were you ready? was your vehicle ready for the cold & snow.

There are many things small & large you can do for your vehicle to handle snow and to handle the harsh cold we have coming soon.  Don’t make the mistake in thinking your brand new car would have trouble…fresh oil and other fluids, nice new shiny engine under the hood, brand new tires with grip…what could go wrong??  In our area, the Tri-State/ New England region, we get snow, we get ice, we get freezing rain…roads get salted, cars get buried!  Here are a few tips to get yourself ready for anything:

Check all your fluids!

• Oil- Most, if not all car dealers new & used, car manufacturers and small shops will recommend you change your engines oil & filterevery 3,000 miles.  Just driving one mile down the road puts more strain on your car than you realize.
• Anti-Freeze – Normally designed to cool your engine from over heating, and more so in the hotter weather, in the cold weather it prevents your fluids traveling throughout the vehicle from freezing! Special anti-freeze designed for colder weather can be bought and added if problems occur with the standard fluid, but this is rare.
• Washer Fluid – You know the stuff that washing your windshields…this fluid come in various colors for various conditions…there’s the green stuff for splattered bug control…the orange stuff for extreme icy conditions…and the regular everyday stuff which we all know as blue.
• (SPECIAL TIP) Keep extra oil, anti-freeze and especially windshield fluid in your trunk in the winter and always.  The worst is driving down the highway @ 60 MPH and running out of washer fluid.

Tools for weather!

• Snow Brush – These some in tons of shapes and sizes, some long, some short, some extend…with or without a ice scraper…this comes down to your own personal preference.  I have 2 kinds, one is a brush that extends to get the top of my roof and the other is small & sturdy with a large ice scraper.
• Snow Shovel – You can get a small shovel for you car just in case you get stuck in a snow bank or the plow buries you.  They typically come in pieces that you snap together to save on space
• First Aid  & Emergency Car Kit – A first aid kit is always recommended to be kept in the car in case of anything.  Add to that a Emergency Car kit and your all set.  Car kits also come in all shapes and size, but it’s inside that matters…you want to have jumper cables, car jack (unless your car has one, most do), road flares, 1 or 2 of those shiny silver emergency blankets, flashlight w/extra batteries, food like power bars and  basic tools like multifunction knives and screwdrivers.For More Details Check Out This Site http://beprepared.com/article.asp?ai=28

Visibility Visibility Visibility!

• Vehicles lighting system – Make sure all your headlights, blinkers & taillights are all working…in the snow & ice you want to see as clearly and far as you can & you want other people to see you!
• Windshield Washer Blades – Along with the washer fluid, the rubber blades used are very important…without them the fluid doesn’t matter.  Replace your blades annually or when you see gaps in them as you wash your glass.  The heat & cold will wear out the rubber and they will crack & break.

Tires & Traction

• Tire Tread – Your tires are what link your car to the road…now put some water, some ice or snow in between, in front of and all around that link…are your tires ready for these conditions??  A quick way to check yourself is to take a dime, place it into the lowest part of the treads grove with Roosevelt’s head upside down.  If his head is at all covered by the treads surface you are at least at 2/32″ deep.  Any less, if his head does not reach the tread…time for new tires.  Any local dealer or shop can tell you if it is time. (SPECIAL TIP) so every time your car is in for service of any kind, just ask them to check.

You can get into a full on vehicle inspection from front to back and everything in between…these are the basics to help get you and your vehicle safely through the next winter storm! Most of these precautions are not expensive and go along with your regular service, these days money is tight & time is short, but an accident could be worth avoiding with a little money & a little time!

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