Inexpensive Ways to Winterize Your Car
It’s that time of year here in the snowy states; you will find people who either hate it or love it, but that doesn’t matter if you aren’t prepared for it when you drive. Here are some basic things to check –
On the outside:
Check Tire Tread ‘“ This is one of the few times a penny has great value. Turn the penny head down and stick it between your tire tread. If you can see Lincoln’s head fully, your tires legally need to be replaced. If you have no tire tread to put the penny in, you will be dancing on ice like Oksana Baiul, but not looking as pretty!
Windshield ‘“ A decent way to keep the fogging to a minimum on the windows is to clean them with vinegar and water, then dry them off with newspaper. This seems to work for about a month or so for me.
Windshield Wipers ‘“ Nothing is as annoying as running the wipers and getting wide streaks while you are trying to drive. Time to replace the blades. However, if you are in a hurry to get to work and don’t have time. Grab some sandpaper, fine grained is best, and run them along the blade on both sides. This should bring the rubber back in shape enough until you can replace them.
Lights ‘“ Clean the inside of the headlight case, if you can get to it. Vinegar and water work well. This is also a good time to check if any lights are burned out on the car.
Check the inside:
Junk in the Trunk ‘“ This is a good type of junk. Have a blanket handy, a first aid kit, flashlight, extra gloves, kitty litter/sand(for traction) and whatever else you may need. Enough of this stuff and you won’t need 35# bags of sand to weigh the car down. If you are like me, put some of these items in the back seat for easy access and to keep the blanket warm.
Glove Compartment ‘“ If you don’t carry around the ubiquitous cell phone, time to get one. If it doesn’t have service, that is fine, the 911 feature will still work as long as you have battery power and signal strength. Throw this in your glove box just in case.
I’m sure this doesn’t cover it all, but some basics to get you started. Happy sledding!
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Dawn C. is site owner of FrugalforLife.com where this is a repost from: Winterize Your Car Inside and Out. Dawn resides in Colorado with her spouse, Teri, of 12 years.
Photo credit: stock.xchng.
Great ideas Dawn. Do you clean the inside or outside of the windows with the vinegar and water?
I like the idea of the emergency kit in the trunk. It’s a horrible story but last year we had an older man drive off the road in a storm and crash. Because of the low visibility none of the passing cars saw him and he passed away. Something as essential as having a gallon of water in the trunk, a blanket, a flashlight, a cell phone in the glove box so you would have a better chance of reaching it if you were pinned in an accident – all so very important.
Serena –
I clean the inside with the vinegar and water. I guess you could clean on the outside as well, just never have.
Bryan-
After the major blizzard stories here in Colorado that I hear of people being hospitalized or dying, I think about the safety in the winter more – I have a blanket in the back seat and a first aid kit.
Thanks for the clarification, Dawn. I live in Tucson, so I really don’t have to worry much about foggy windows and such. But you have inspired me to put a first aid kit and jumper cables in the car. And since I’m driving to Utah for Christmas, I’ll take your tips about blankets and windows to heart.