How to Prevent Extra Car Costs This Winter with Fall Repairs

Your car will operate at peak performance during the winter if you stay on top of its upkeep. Certain repairs shouldn’t be put off until the snowfalls. Instead, these repairs need to be taken care of in the months before the first snows. Here are four repairs and maintenance tasks you need to do on your car before winter.

Get the Oil Changed

Winter’s lower temperatures can wreak havoc on the fluids in your car, including the oil. Changing the oil winterizes your vehicle, which helps it to operate at peak efficiency. This keeps your engine safe. Additionally, the type of oil you use needs to be different. 

You want to choose an oil with a lower viscosity because the oil thickens in the winter. Do be aware, however, that if you change the type of oil, you use in the winter, you don’t want to mix oil types. Have an oil change before you do this.

Repair the Windscreen

The constant freezing and thawing cycle that happens during the winter will weaken spots on your windscreens where you have cracks or chips. Eventually, this process negatively affects the structure of your windshield, and if it happens often enough, the windshield will break. 

Therefore, if a chipped windscreen replacement isn’t in your budget before winter, it should be.

Replace Brake Pads

The time to replace your brake pads isn’t months after they’ve started to squeal. The squeal indicates that they’re starting to wear out, and in the winter, you don’t want worn-out brakes. Ideally, you’ve already looked at your car’s owner’s manual and have had your brake pads changed according to the schedule provided by your car’s manufacturer. 

Doing this keeps you safe year-round because you’re not waiting until you hear the signs of wear on your brakes. You’ve changed them before that time comes.

Check the Battery

Your car’s battery can become an “out of sight, out of mind” kind of thing until it goes out, and chances of it going out are higher in colder months. Your car’s battery just likes warm climates best. When you can’t give your car’s battery a tropical climate, then do the next best thing. Have it looked at and/ or changed before the winter comes.

Taking care of your car’s maintenance before the snows arrive means that when they do, your vehicle will take care of you. Tasks like oil changes, windscreen repairs, and the like cut down on the number of unexpected issues you have with your vehicle come winter.