At Route 15 Used Car Center, we've seen it all where winter driving is concerned. There are many missteps a new driver can take, and plenty of ways to learn from experience.
Here are a few of our favorite winterizing tips.
Tires.
It's all about the tires.
They're the part of your car in contact with the ground-- if you've got proper clearance and the snowplow has been through, the only part.
If something else is dragging, we should probably talk.
So make sure you have at least 2/32 inches of tread depth, and preferably more than twice that amount. Tires = traction. No traction = sitting in a snowbank instead of making it to the New Year's party.
Before the temperature drops below freezing, check the charge on your battery. It should read 12.6 volts at minimum, and above 9.0 volts in a load test.
Check your antifreeze with a hydrometer or refractometer.
Finally, remember to pack smart-- keep a blanket, food, shovel, flares, a charged cell phone, jumper cables, and a first aid kit in your car where you can reach it in an emergency.
Above all, drive safe.
Visit Route 15 Used Car Center in Wharton, NJ to test drive a reliable used vehicle.