Winter is Almost Here - Be prepared

[Raizinman]

Winter is just around the corner and to avoid getting stuck or broken down, follow a few simple rules.

1) Find your ice scrapper and put it in the car
2) Replace wiper blades (front and rear) if they don't clear good enough
3) Make sure you have winter washer fluid installed - the summer blend will freeze
4) Check your anti freeze - If 4 or 5 years old, likely time to replace. Check your manual.
5) Check your heater & defroster output to make sure it is good.
6) Check your tires - make sure you have enough tread for the winter.

EXTRAS: defroster spray, blanket, jumper cables, flashlight, small snow shovel, gloves, hand warmers, small tool kit, duct tape, tire chains, tow rope, first aid kit, and kitty liter.

TIPS:
Stuck on ice without sand or kitty liter? Use your floor mats.
Rub a small, moistened cloth bag of iodized salt on the outside of your windshield to prevent ice and snow from sticking.
Fog proof your mirrors and the inside of your windshield with shaving cream. Just spray and wipe off.

 

[bigi]

Great post.

What's the best solution to keep snow/ice off the windows/mirrors?

 

[Kaido]

Ah dang, I always forget to swap out the winter washer fluid, thanks!

 

[cabri]

Thanks

I was unaware that there are different blends of washer fluid.

Also, if you battery is at/over 5 years, you may wish to have the CCA (Cold Cranking Amp) level checked.

 

[Midwayman]

Ordered my snow tires a week ago. Get 'em early before the rush hits at the first snow and while supply levels are good.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Great post.

What's the best solution to keep snow/ice off the windows/mirrors?

Move to Southern California!

 

[nk215]

I have 3 sets of winter tires/rims for my three (using) cars + an additional winter tire set just in case my beater needs a tire replacement.

I would add:
+ Cash
+ A mean to charge your phone in your car
+ Snow boots in the car
+ A compact snow shovel
+ Large and long zip ties (you can zip tie around your rim/tire) or snow chains.
+ A winter house in Florida

I got stuck on the snow once (cars in front of me got stuck so the entire road was blocked solid) and I had to ditch the car off road and walked home in my dress shoe.

 

[jlee]

Winter?

1) Detail car
2) Drive car

:awe:

 

[Bartman39]

Uh what is winter...?

It is frick'in 80 degrees here...!

6) Check your tires - make sure you have enough tread for the winter.

HA-HA... Need that for year round driving...

 

[NutBucket]

Great post.

What's the best solution to keep snow/ice off the windows/mirrors?

Heated mirrors

 

[jagec]

1) Find your ice scrapper and put it in the car

I recommend also buying a second one and keeping it by your front door. That way you can easily clear your car in the morning after those big overnight snowstorms.

 

[Midwayman]

I recommend also buying a second one and keeping it by your front door. That way you can easily clear your car in the morning after those big overnight snowstorms.

Thank god for garages at least.

 

[MrCassdin]

Great post.

What's the best solution to keep snow/ice off the windows/mirrors?

Park in the garage? ()

 

[CraKaJaX]

TIPS:
Stuck on ice without sand or kitty liter? Use your floor mats.
Rub a small, moistened cloth bag of iodized salt on the outside of your windshield to prevent ice and snow from sticking.
Fog proof your mirrors and the inside of your windshield with shaving cream. Just spray and wipe off.

Additional tip: Place wipers in upright position when you are in for the night to make life easier in the morning (of course you'll need to remember to put them down )

 

[cabri]

Great post.

What's the best solution to keep snow/ice off the windows/mirrors?

Move to Southern California!

I have had snow on Kearney Mesa before.

 

[MongGrel]

Yaaaaaa! it will finaly drop out of the 80-90 range every day.

 

[cabri]

Additional tip: Place wipers in upright position when you are in for the night to make life easier in the morning (of course you'll need to remember to put them down )

Or take a towel and place between the blades and the glass.

Much easier to clean off the window and nothing is sticking to the outside.
Pull the towel off and you have a clean windshield with no snow/ice.

The towel also seems to keep the blades from icing up due to moisture difference freezing.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I have had snow on Kearney Mesa before.

How many minutes before it melted?

I haven't owned an ice scraper once in the last 24 years. I remember about 10 years ago I was riding my bike to work in February and there were icicles hanging off a bush where someone's sprinklers were soaking it. That is the coldest it has ever been here, 30-31 degrees in the wee hours.

 

[boomerang]

I was unaware that there are different blends of washer fluid.

To my knowledge there isn't. But some people try to save a few bucks putting water in over the warmer months.

A winter house in Florida

Took care of that over the Summer. Hopefully Winter is a thing of the past for us.

 

[Leymenaide]

Winter is just around the corner and to avoid getting stuck or broken down, follow a few simple rules.

1) Find your ice scrapper and put it in the car
2) Replace wiper blades (front and rear) if they don't clear good enough
3) Make sure you have winter washer fluid installed - the summer blend will freeze
4) Check your anti freeze - If 4 or 5 years old, likely time to replace. Check your manual.
5) Check your heater & defroster output to make sure it is good.
6) Check your tires - make sure you have enough tread for the winter.

EXTRAS: defroster spray, blanket, jumper cables, flashlight, small snow shovel, gloves, hand warmers, small tool kit, duct tape, tire chains, tow rope, first aid kit, and kitty liter.

TIPS:
Stuck on ice without sand or kitty liter? Use your floor mats.
Rub a small, moistened cloth bag of iodized salt on the outside of your windshield to prevent ice and snow from sticking.
Fog proof your mirrors and the inside of your windshield with shaving cream. Just spray and wipe off.

I would add:
Set of heavy clothes
Sleeping bag
half a kilo of chocolate and dried fruit and nuts. (all emergency survival foods.)

I traveled P.E.I. to Wisconsin for twenty years and never needed the above but never regretted having it in the trunk.

 

[jlee]

To my knowledge there isn't. But some people try to save a few bucks putting water in over the warmer months.

Yup, there absolutely are. I've seen frozen washer fluid at a gas station in..North or South Carolina during a cold spurt. Coming from NH at the time (with -30f washer fluid), it was amusing.

 

[Gillbot]

Winter?

2) Drive car

:awe:

Fixed. That's all I do, if it dies meh.

 

[jlee]

Fixed. That's all I do, if it dies meh.

I don't wash my trucks, but the MR2 is too pretty to be dirty.

 

[Gillbot]

I don't wash my trucks, but the MR2 is too pretty to be dirty.

I never washed any of mine. My camaro would get so bad my wife would wash it because she was embarrassed by it. I just let the loud pedal make up for the dirt.

 

[HitAnyKey]

Move to Southern California!

What? And miss being in miserable weather, with crazy drivers, freezing while the car warms up, hoping the commute home isn't twice as long because somebody can't drive on Snow ...

Great idea!

By the way lots of great tips in this thread. Shaving cream on the windows is something I need to try...