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New England winters can be really tough, and that kind of cold means a lot of stress on every system of your vehicle. Is yours ready? Here’s a quick list of things you might want to think about:

Battery: When it’s below freezing,  the chemical process inside your battery’s cells slows down to a point where it can only store and deliver a fraction as much voltage and amperage.  On top of that, motor oil thickens in cold weather, making it harder to turn the engine over. That explains why you need to make sure you’ve got a good battery going into the winter months.

Tires: All-season tires are great unless you actually get some snow. Winter tires, on the other hand, are designed for bad weather, with a more aggressive tread pattern that really digs into snow and slush and helps avoid hydroplaning. Winter tires also use a softer tread formulation that stays flexible in extreme cold, for traction.

Wipers: It might seem really obvious, but a lot of people forget about their wipers until it gets nasty out. Even the best wipers only last about a year, before the sun’s UV rays and normal wear take their toll. If your wipers are cracked, dried-out or are losing strips of rubber, replace them for safety’s sake.

Cooling system: Your cooling system protects against freezing as well as summertime boilovers. Coolant is a 50/50 mix of antifreeze and distilled water; despite its mix of anti-corrosion agents, it still loses its effectiveness over time. The only sure way to prevent corrosion and scale from accumulating in your radiator, water pump and heater core is with a regular schedule of coolant flushes. Can’t remember when your last coolant flush was? It’s easy for a technician to check the coolant’s condition using a hygrometer.

Motor oil: It’s always a good idea to start off the winter months with some clean motor oil. If you’ve thought about a switch to synthetic oil, this might be a good time to do it. Synthetic outperforms conventional oil in every respect, and one advantage is that it doesn’t thicken in cold weather. That means better engine protection at startup, as it can circulate more quickly to the upper engine components.

So, are you ready for winter driving in New England?  Make an appointment with us at New England Tire Car Care Centers and let us help you be sure about that!