Updated on 14/11/2019: Maintenance of a vehicle ahead of the winter season is of critical importance for car owners. The need for maintenance increases for aging cars that are more vulnerable to breakdown in extreme weather conditions as compared to new cars. Winter car maintenance is a little different to maintenance in other seasons as different extreme weather conditions can be observed during this season.
Dense fog, heavy rainfall and hailstorm are some of the challenging weather conditions that vehicles must withstand during the winter season. A detailed mechanical checkup at the start of the winter season followed by weekly inspection of important physical parts can help motorists avoid unexpected situations such as a sudden car breakdown.
Also read: Car Maintenance Tips for a Winter Road Trip
Let’s discuss the tips for efficient maintenance of your car in the winter season.
Check Lights of Your Car
One important aspect of car care in winters is the maintenance of a car’s lights. As the sun sets early in the winters, it tends to get gloomy and visibility reduces. In order to safely tackle such a situation, you must have all your car lights in the perfect condition and for that, you need to check them regularly. You need to make sure that your lights are bright enough to help you drive in low visibility conditions. Other than that, you also need to wipeout the moisture from lights which often gets accumulated in winters. You can also wax your car lights to make them more bright and clear. If any bulb is not working fine, go for its repair without delaying as all your car lights must perform flawlessly when visibility reduces in winters.
Also read: 7 ways to Drive Safely in Low Visibility Conditions
Go for Battery Checkup
It is ideal to go for a battery checkup at the start of winter season. A weak battery might survive the summer season but will be found out in winters as the going gets tough for car batteries in cold conditions. According to a research, a car battery loses 60% of its strength at 0°F and faces 25% reduction in strength when temperature in the outside environment is around 32°F. It is important to check your battery at the start of winter season through a volt test and go for a battery change if that is important. Weak batteries are the most common reason for car breakdowns in winters.
Check the Engine Coolant Levels
The maintenance of coolant levels is also very important to save your car’s engine from freezing in cold temperature. Your car must not be low at coolant levels and you should also check for any possible leaks causing the coolant to drain out. It is mostly suggested to keep a 50/50 ratio of coolant and water in the radiator as it lowers the freezing point of the engine.
Maintain your Car Tyres
Tyres’ maintenance is an important aspect of car care in the winter season. You must check the tyre tread before heading into the winter. The deeper the groves of the tyre tread, the better the performance of your car tyres. In case you identify excessive wear and tear in the tyre treads of your car, go for a change of tyres. Other than looking out for the tyre tread, the air pressure of your tyres must also be checked frequently. In cold temperatures, tyres incline to lose air pressure which can easily lead to their premature deterioration and can also lead to a major accident because of disruption in balancing and handling of the car.
Also read: Driving Safety: Quick ways for knowing When to Replace Car Tyres
Inspect Hoses and Belts
Usually, the hoses and belts are checked after every 30,000 miles but it can be useful if you get them inspected at the start of the winter by a professional mechanic. When temperatures goes down, the hoses and belts of a vehicle tend to get weakened and the chance of their wear and tear increases. The maintenance of hoses and belts is very important as it is directly linked to the functioning of the engine. A sudden breakdown of hoses and belts while driving can cause serious problems.
Check the Defroster
Fog surrounds the windshield in winters that halts the vision while driving. Fog on the windshield can occur because of the condensation phenomenon. The moisture from the inside of the car can condense and accumulate on windshield. The defrost system of the car helps here and clears the fog from the windshield so make sure you keep an eye on the defroster of your car and get it checked at least once in the winter season so that it keeps functioning efficiently.
Also read: Home-based Remedies to Defog your Car’s Screen
Car Maintenance in Winters Ensures Safety while driving
Maintenance of your car in winters is not only important for its efficient performance but also to maximize driving safety in extremely cold conditions. All the above-mentioned tips can help car drivers in avoiding hazardous situations that they may encounter while driving because of lack of car maintenance. Any sudden breakdown on road can lead to fatal collisions between vehicles because of low visibility in winters.
In addition to these maintenance tips, car owners must understand that they need to identify the right time to sell their used cars. It can be ideal for car owners to sell a vehicle before it starts to show the signs of aging. If a used car requires frequent repairs and mechanical checkups, it is a sign that most of the critical parts of the car have already passed their shelf-life. In such a situation, a car can be vulnerable to sudden breakdowns, especially if the weather conditions are not favorable.
While the regular maintenance of a vehicle can extend the life of the mechanical parts, it cannot stop a vehicle from aging over a period. By upgrading their vehicle at the right time, car owners can get a good resale price for their used car and it can also help reduce their monthly car maintenance expense.
How to Sell a Used Car at a Fair Price in the UAE?
Selling a used car in the UAE is not easy by any means, especially if you don’t have the prior experience. However, this can be made easier by selling your used car to SellAnyCar.com, the largest car buying company in the UAE. SellAnyCar.com offers car sellers the most reliable platform to sell any used car regardless of its age, model, condition and even if it is a totaled or non-running car. The company offers guaranteed purchase for every car in just 30 minutes and handles post-sale paperwork to make the entire process completely hassle-free for car sellers.
Car sellers first need to evaluate their vehicle through the company’s car valuation tool, followed by booking an appointment for the physical inspection of the car. Car sellers can choose to bring their vehicle for physical inspection at one the 23 nationwide branches of SellAnyCar.com. After the inspection of the vehicle, car sellers are offered a final price for the used car.
If the final offer is accepted, a sales agreement is signed between the two parties. The complete payment against the value of a vehicle is made through electronic bank transfer or through Al Ansari Exchange after the title transfer of the vehicle.
In the event of seller’s rejection of the final offer, SellAnyCar.com does not charge any fee for its services (car valuation and physical inspection) and car sellers can simply walk away if they don’t like the final offer. This is how selling a used car can become simple and hassle-free for car sellers in the UAE.
If you are looking to sell your used car to buy a new one with advanced safety features and improved performance, then don’t forget that with us, you can sell any used car in just 30 minutes while all the post-sale paperwork is handled by SellAnyCar.com’s team.
