How to prepare your car for winter on a budget: top 6 tips for motorists

Winter can affect car performance, and ice can be a real problem for vehicle owners. Thus, motorists face the question of how to prepare their vehicle for the cold on a budget.

ChronicleLive gave some advice to car owners.

"It is important to be aware of the effects of cold weather and know how to protect your car from damage. By doing so, you can ensure that your car is as safe as possible when you're traveling in hazardous weather conditions," said Simon Wayne, an expert at the publication.

Check your brakes

When driving in winter, you may encounter rain, snow, or ice. Because of this, the road can become slippery and the braking distance of the car increases, which means that you need to pay even more attention to the car's brakes. This will help ensure driver safety on the road in winter. Check your brakes to make sure they don't fail at a critical moment.

Keep the battery on at all times

Low temperatures can affect the car battery, which can lead to a loss of power. Experts recommend turning on the battery for a couple of minutes to keep the engine running. And if the car owner lives in a very cold area, a battery cover can be used to prevent it from freezing.

Keep an eye on the windshield

At low temperatures, windshields and wipers can quickly freeze, which will affect the driver's visibility if there is no quick solution to defrosting the car. But there's a life hack: use warm water in a bag with a clasp, which will quickly bring down the temperature and allow you to drive safely. Just be sure not to use boiling water as it can break the windshield or make the situation even worse.

Check the tire pressure

When the temperature fluctuates, the tire pressure changes by about 1 PSI (pound per square inch) for every 10 degrees drop in temperature. If the tires are underinflated, they can slide, which can make driving on wet roads worse. That's why it's important to check your tire pressure in the winter.

Change the tires

Summer tires should be replaced with winter or all-season tires when winter comes, as they work better at temperatures below 7 degrees Celsius. All-season tires are not only great for winter but also perform well in most conditions, providing better handling on both warm and cold roads. Many motorists choose this option because they can be used all year round, which saves money on an additional set of tires.

Avoid condensation on the windows

Condensation occurs when the temperature inside the car is different from the temperature outside. Warm air inside and cold air outside will turn steam into water, which can seriously impair visibility while driving. To prevent this, you can use condensation strips that are inserted into the car doors.

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