Winter can be brutal on your car. Even a car that’s well maintained in summer could have trouble in winter, as ice, snow and freezing temperatures can magnify problems and rapidly age a vehicle. This makes spending money on winterizing your car an investment, not a waste.
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Here are some of the best ways to make strategic, cost-effective investments that can extend the life of your car and help protect it from the ravages of winter.
1. Take Care of Your Battery
Winter is ruthless when it comes to car batteries. According to AAA, your battery loses about 35% of its power at 32 degrees Fahrenheit and as much as 60% at zero degrees Fahrenheit. As a result, battery failures skyrocket in winter.
At the very least, have your battery checked before winter sets in. If you want to be proactive, spending $100 or $120 on a battery before winter could be a lot cheaper — and more convenient — than waiting for a tow truck in the snow and paying a desperation price.
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2. Get Winter Tires
Just as cold temperatures hurt the performance of batteries, they also make tires less effective. According to Discount Tire, the rubber compounds in all-weather tires begin to stiffen in temperatures as high as 45 degrees Fahrenheit. This makes handling more difficult, as everything from accelerating to braking to cornering become less reliable. But that’s not all. The Federal Highway Administration reported that 24% of all weather-related crashes occur on snowy, icy or slushy roadways.
A smart way to combat these higher risks is to invest in a good set of winter tires. While these come with an added cost, they’re cheaper than the cost of an accident, whether in the form of the deductible you pay, your increased cost of insurance down the road or the injuries you prevent.
3. Buy All-Weather Floor Mats
One of the highest returns on investment you can get when it comes to winterizing a car is to buy all-weather floor mats. For a very modest investment, you can help protect against rotting carpets and rust beneath your floorboards that come from all the moisture you bring into your car during winter.
Preventing any type of winter water damage, such as mold, mildew and noxious smells, can all help protect your car’s resale value as well.
4. Install New Wiper Blades
Just as your tires could use an upgrade to winter models, so too could your wiper blades. According to AAA, winter wiper blades are more durable and less susceptible to damage. They are also made of a different material that is less prone to freezing and icing in the winter.
Even if you don’t switch to specialty blades in the winter, AAA recommended you at least check to see that your blades aren’t chipped or damaged. The motor club also suggested clearing your windshield of snow and ice before using your blades and using winter de-icer washing fluid to help prevent freezing in the reservoir and lines.
5. Stock an Emergency Kit
There’s never a good time to get stranded by the side of the road, but winter is absolutely the worst. In some situations, it can be life-threatening. For this reason, it’s essential to keep a safety and emergency kit in your car. Here are some items you’ll want to consider including.
- Food
- Water
- Collapsible shovel
- Flashlight
- Portable jump-starter
- Batteries
- Heavy blanket
- Extra-warm clothes
- Gloves
- Hat
- Ice scraper
- Basic toolkit
- Traction boards and/or a bag of gravel or sand
- Reflective emergency triangle(s)
This is just a sampling of the types of items you might consider packing.
6. Have a Mechanic Check Your Car
If your car has any weaknesses, winter will find them. From your vehicle’s belts and hoses to its fluids, brakes and heating system, winter will accelerate aging and weaken key systems and components. Getting a professional inspection before winter sets in is a good way to make sure every part of your car is in good working order.
The U.S. Department of Energy noted that vehicle efficiency is significantly reduced in winter, as cold weather thickens engine fluids and increases strain on the cooling system.
It’s worth noting that fuel economy also drops by as much as 33% in colder temperatures for conventional gasoline cars, per the U.S. Department of Energy. For this reason, you might want to check your fuel lines and get a coolant flush as well.
Overall, when it comes to winterizing your car, an ounce of prevention is definitely worth a pound of cure. Investing ahead of time on everything from tires to floor mats is a way to both improve your safety and reduce your chance of an expensive breakdown.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: The 6 Smartest Ways You Can Spend on Your Car This Winter
