Money Saving Winter Weather Hacks For Your Car

With winter right around the corner, it is time to make any last-minute preparations needed to get your car ready to handle the freezing temps, salt, and wet sludge. Since winter weather is known to be particularly hard on cars, causing costly damage and the need for repair, it is important to know that there are some basic preventative steps you can take to protect both your car and your wallet.

Keeping your car in the best possible condition in winter does not have to take too much time or be very costly if you do a few basic things. The first step is to keep the exterior of the car as clean as possible. This may seem difficult because winter is usually when your car gets the dirtiest with all the ice melt and rock salt that is applied to the streets.

Keeping the car clean is not just for aesthetic sensibilities. If not washed away, the ice melt and salt can quickly corrode the car’s paint and accelerate the rusting process. The best solution to keep these components from literally eating away at your car is to get a thorough professional car wash whenever the temperature permits.

According to a company specializing in car rentals in Toronto, another solution that can save money, in the long run, is getting your car oil sprayed in the fall. The entire underbody of the car is sprayed with a thick oil mixture that acts as a barrier between the car and the debris on the road, reducing the corrosive ice melt and salt from damaging the car.

The next money-saving hack is to keep tabs on the car’s rubber components, battery, and gas tank before a costly problem arises. Since rubber is particularly susceptible to damage from the cold, it is wise to have all rubber elements checked before the winter to catch any rubber needing replacing before major rips, tears, or breaks occur.

Likewise, an old battery that may have been functioning just fine in warmer weather can run out of juice seemingly suddenly in freezing temps. At that point, you will need to pay for a new battery, a tow truck and maintenance costs. If you have your battery tested before winter you can easily replace it, often by yourself, avoiding all the extra costs. Similarly, fluids in the gas tank can freeze if it gets cold enough, so make sure to keep the tank more than half full to prevent this from occurring and to prevent the need for costly roadside assistance.

By investing the energy and money in these basic steps, you will end up saving in the long run and will have a much greater chance of enjoying the winter rather than being frustrated by it.