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Prepare your car for summer and winter driving

Depending on the time of year your car will need to be maintained and prepared for these months in different ways. Below are five top tips for both summer and winter driving to ensure that your car is ready for the months ahead.

Tips for preparing your car for the summer

1. It is crucial to ensure that your car is regularly serviced to make sure that nothing needs to be repaired or replaced. It is recommended that you give your car a summer service which will check that the car is in good working order as well as inspecting the tyres (as when the weather is hot it will put extra pressure on them). So it will be important to check that the tyres are at the correct pressure and that the tread is good.

2. When driving in hot weather conditions we place extra demand on the cars cooling system and often this can cause the car to overheat. You should therefore get the air conditioning checked by a mechanic to ensure that you are able to use the air conditioning as much as you require during the summer. You may also want to consider replacing the pollen filter if you are a hay fever sufferer as this will make for more comfortable car journeys.

3. Check the fluid levels within the car to make sure they are at the right level. This will mean checking the coolant level, the windscreen wash and the oil level.

4. Over the winter months the roads will have been heavily gritted and salted and salt can damage a car especially if left on rusty paintwork. Therefore, in summer it will be important to clean and wax your car thoroughly to ensure that all traces are removed.

5. You should check that the windscreen wipers don’t need replacing as these will have been heavily used in winter. It is also important to check the cars headlights and whether any replacement bulbs need to be purchased and fitted. In the summer months cars will be prone to getting covered by flies and dust so it will be important to clean the lights regularly from insects and dirt to ensure they are as clear as possible.

Tips for preparing your car for the winter

1. As with the summer it will be vital to ensure that your car has a winter service. In the winter it is important to be extra vigilant and get more elements of the car checked as the cold weather can take its toll on your cars performance and put greater demand on the engine. Also, get the tyres checked again as the tyres may need to drive on snow and ice in the winter and therefore they need to be in top condition to cope with this type of surface (and check your summer driving hasn’t worn down the tread).

2. The cars fluid levels will need to be checked more regularly in the winter as lower levels of fluids will freeze easily. This means checking the anti-freeze, oil, windscreen fluid, brake fluid and radiator fluid. It is also important that you carry a defrost spray in your car so that you can defrost frozen windows easily if required.

3. When planning a winter trip it is important to ensure that the fuel tank is full even if you think you have enough fuel for the trip. This is because there are likely to be more accidents in the winter and if you have to sit in a traffic jam the last thing you want to do is run out of fuel.

4. Ensure that you look after the lights on the car as in the winter you will be driving in very dark and adverse weather conditions. Therefore, lights need to be as bright as possible so clean the lights on a regular basis and replace any bulbs immediately if they go. Also, ensure you know how to turn on your fog light and that it works.

5. The possibility of being stuck in your car due to bad weather conditions or accidents is higher in the winter weather. It is therefore important to prepare are car with a number of supplies in case of such an incident. Recommended supplies include a blanket, jump leads, torch, first-aid kit, water, shovel and an ice scraper.

By following these tips you will ensure you and your car enjoy the seasons as they come and that driving at any time of year is an enjoyable experience.

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