| Regardless of the type of car that you own | | | | oak tree are your tires. Winter is not the |
| whether it's second-hand or brand new it is | | | | time to get cheap about your tires, so take |
| important that you provide it with the proper | | | | the time to check the tread depth. The |
| maintenance it deserves. | | | | National Highway Transportation Safety Board |
| | | | says you need at least 2/32" of depth to be |
| You see even if you own an expensive BMW 328i | | | | safe. It's been my experience, especially in |
| with high quality BMW 328i parts still the | | | | winter weather, that anything less than 4/32" |
| daily use of the car can lead to wear and | | | | (1/8") be replaced soon. The old penny test |
| tear of its parts this is why regular car | | | | is as reliable as anything to find out |
| maintenance should be a priority. | | | | whether your treads are ready for winter |
| | | | action. Also, be sure to check your tire |
| Your car requires different types of | | | | pressure. Believe it or not, they lose a |
| maintenance check for different seasons, the | | | | little pressure when it gets cold, so pump |
| car maintenance routines for the summer | | | | 'em up. |
| season are very much different as those | | | | |
| required for the winter season and so forth | | | | - Check your wipers |
| and so on. | | | | |
| | | | Wipers? What do your windshield wipers have |
| Since fall is coming and very soon it would | | | | to do with winter weather? Two things. First, |
| be winter the car maintenance done during the | | | | anything falling from the sky is going to end |
| fall season is basically a preparation for | | | | up on your windshield, and unless you have a |
| the coming winter months. provides very | | | | team of beavers riding on the hood of your |
| practical tips on what your winter car | | | | car the task of clearing it falls on your |
| maintenance checklist should be comprised of: | | | | wipers. Second, in areas that see snowfall in |
| | | | the winter, you're also driving through that |
| - Check your antifreeze | | | | soupy muck that's left on the road once the |
| | | | highway department does their thing. This |
| Your antifreeze (the juice that goes in your | | | | muck includes a lot of sand and salt, both of |
| radiator) is an essential part of your car's | | | | which end up on your windshield. It takes |
| winter protection. | | | | wipers that are in top shape to keep your |
| | | | windshield clean and safe. |
| Your car contains a 50/50 mix of water and | | | | |
| antifreeze. Make sure the level is full and | | | | - Check your windshield washer fluid |
| the mixture is close to 50/50. Many service | | | | |
| stations and repair centers will check this | | | | You'll be using lots of washer fluid as you |
| mixture free, or you can buy a tester for | | | | try to keep your windshield sparkly. A mile |
| around $5. | | | | stuck behind an 18-wheeler will have your |
| | | | windshield looking a Desert Storm Humvee if |
| - Check your tires | | | | you're low on washer fluid. *Tip: Don't fill |
| | | | your washer fluid reservoir with anything |
| The last line of defense between you and an | | | | except washer fluid, it won't freeze! |