How To Prepare Your Car For An Endurance Race – As fall draws to a close and the calendar turns from November to December, that can only mean one thing – winter is here. And when the weather changes from cool and crisp to downright freezing, along comes the ever-dreaded “winter driving season” and all the dangers it can bring, especially if you’ll find yourself traveling for the holidays.
Fear not, though, because even though the temperatures are dropping, there’s still time to prepare your car for the worst of the winter months ahead. By taking the right steps, you can enjoy your winter without worrying about expensive breakdowns or serious problems with your vehicle.
How To Prepare Your Car For An Endurance Race
The winter season is a time of joy, celebration, and of course, the occasional sale or two on some of your favorite clothes, gear, and even cars. But just as you may not like the snow and cold temperatures that come with the time of year, so does your car.
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While every season can affect any vehicle in one way or another, winter weather can be especially harsh on your car if you haven’t taken the proper precautions and made sure everything is properly stored. Understanding how winter weather can affect your car can help you be ready when the time comes.
If you want to make sure your vehicle is ready for winter, there are things you can do to prepare. By taking the time to make some last minute winter preparations, you can be sure that your used or new vehicle will not be damaged by the freezing temperatures and harshest weather conditions. This will protect you from serious repairs and expensive breakdowns during the time of year when you need your car ready for the winter months ahead.
One of the best things you can do for your car before the roads start to lift is to check the tire tread. The tread of your tires is designed to grip the road and provide the best possible traction, even if the surface is slippery. If your tread is worn, your vehicle will not have the control it needs to drive safely in winter road conditions, such as when dealing with black ice.
To check the depth of the tire tread, you can use the penny trick. All you have to do is place a penny upside down (with President Lincoln’s head facing the ground) between the tread grooves of your tires. If you can’t see much of Abe, your tires are good. However, if you can see the top of his head, it’s time to replace your tires.
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You can even take the extra step of purchasing and installing winter tires (also known as snow tires). These tires are specially designed to help give your vehicle better traction in winter driving conditions such as help you avoid possible skidding or fishtailing when driving in snow.
Before temperatures reach freezing, you should change all your fluids as recommended in your car’s maintenance schedule (which you can often find in your owner’s manual). This is important because when fluids are old, they can begin to break down and separate, making them much more susceptible to freezing and expanding, which can cause leaks and cracks in hoses and lines. You can even take extra precautions and change all the fluids in your car before the coldest time of the year starts, even before the recommended time.
In general, it is recommended that you do everything from changing the oil to checking/replacing the brake fluid, antifreeze/coolant, windshield wiper fluid, and more. Ensuring these are all replaced will reduce the chances of them freezing and causing serious problems in late winter.
Also, while it has to be very cold for gas to freeze, it’s always good to have as close to a full tank of gas as possible during the winter months. This will help reduce the chance of moisture getting into your gas tank and fuel lines, which can eventually freeze and lead to potentially costly problems.
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Your car battery can be greatly affected by cold winter temperatures, but it’s even more likely if you’ve previously endured a sweltering summer. When the weather drops below freezing, your battery can lose up to 50 percent of its capacity. If your battery is already old and in bad condition, you may have problems starting or driving your vehicle.
You can make sure your battery is in good condition by doing a voltage test. A technician can check your battery’s power output and ensure it can handle the loss of power in the winter. If it’s not releasing the tension you need, you may want to get a new one.
During the summer months, your windshield wiper blades can become dry and brittle from heat and lack of use. Come winter, you may find they aren’t as effective as they should be, with freezing temperatures only causing more problems. And since this is the time of year when you’ll likely need them the most, checking them before the weather turns is a smart idea.
Try spraying your windshield with washer fluid and wiping it with a wiper. If they leave streaks on the windshield or fail to remove fluid, you need to replace them. Even if they are working, getting new ones might be a good idea, especially if they are already showing signs of cracking and other damage.
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Whether it’s mid-summer or mid-winter, the temperature outside immediately affects your car’s tire pressure. In the winter, you’ll often find your car tires underinflated because when the temperature drops, so does the tire pressure. One to two pounds per square inch (PSI) for every 10 degrees, to be exact. This can make you susceptible to issues like less attraction and more.
In winter road conditions, traction is an important consideration. Keeping your tires inflated to the correct PSI will improve your car’s handling on the road and keep you safe. Checking your tire pressure regularly, like every morning, can give you better control on the road, even if the surface is icy or wet.
As a responsible car owner, you know how important it is to have an emergency kit in your vehicle. With winter fast approaching, make sure you have all the items in your kit that you might need. These should include a first aid kit, road flares, jumper cables, a snow brush/ice scraper and high visibility vests to keep you safe if you happen to break down in a snowstorm. Even kitty litter can be an invaluable tool to help you gain more traction when dealing with fresh or heavy snow, as well as help prevent your windshield from freezing. Also, consider carrying some rock salt to help melt the ice that may build up if you’re parked outside overnight.
The most important thing you can do to prepare your car for winter is to have the right coverage, especially if you have an older, used car. But while older cars are more prone to potential problems, many automakers may limit when or how you can purchase extended warranty coverage. Fortunately, whether your car is 10 miles past the warranty limit or 100,000 miles, you can get award-winning breakdown protection with an Endurance auto protection plan. In fact, with over $248 million in claims paid since 2012, you know that any Endurance plan you get will have you covered.
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Like a car’s factory warranty, Endurance plans are designed to help give you comprehensive coverage ranging from basic powertrain protection starting at just $79 per month with Secure to exclusionary coverage for a range wide range of components with Supreme. Or, you can even get breakdown protection and save up to $3,500 on your car’s annual maintenance needs, including tire rotations, alignment checks, engine diagnostic exams and more with the Advantage protection plan. It even comes with some one-off services including battery replacement, cooling system maintenance and more to help give you even more coverage and savings.
Best of all, whether you have Advantage, Secure, Supreme or any other Endurance cover, you’ll automatically get free 24/7 roadside assistance and towing, trip interruption cover and rental car reimbursement. You’ll even qualify for a full year of Endurance Elite benefits, which give you even more benefits and savings, including tire replacements or repairs, crash discounts and more.
By making sure you and your vehicle are covered with Endurance, you can hit the road with confidence, knowing you’ll be covered for those expensive and unexpected breakdowns and repairs.
Winterizing your car is incredibly important and will help keep you safe when you’re behind the wheel in less-than-ideal conditions, but you may still need some extra help. An Endurance auto protection plan will cover you against expensive repairs so you can be sure your car is in good condition. With plans starting at just $79 per month, there’s a plan for just about everyone