Don't forget to winterize your vehicle, Oppo

"pitstop_pitowski" (paulopitstoppitowski)
12/04/2016 at 18:26 • Filed to: Winter

For those of us who live in the appropriate climate, remember to winterize your car!

That means checking your fluids, putting in a safety kit, maybe add some sand or salt, and check your tire pressures. If nothing else please check your tires pressures, you will lose some when the temperature drops.

This year I installed some Rally Armour flaps to protect my paint. We’ll see how they work. In addition to those items noted above I had !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! come over and install my winter tires and wheels and remove the summer ones. It’s pretty hard to drive on snow and ice with summer performance tires.

And while you’re at it, protect the finish and go ahead and give the ole’ gal a nice wash and wax before all that crap gets put out on the roads.

DISCUSSION (11)

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > pitstop_pitowski
12/04/2016 at 18:39

And don’t for get to remove your tires and store them where it’s warm and reinstall them just before leaving.

Jason Torchinsky said this is a must!!!

TheBimmerGuyWhoNowOwnsAChevy > pitstop_pitowski
12/04/2016 at 18:44

As a (sad) south californian, winterizing for me is just running my car at least 5 days of the week. Though I will admit my electronics have been acting weird since it got cold and I should check my tires and fluids more often.

pitstop_pitowski > TheBimmerGuyWhoNowOwnsAChevy
12/04/2016 at 18:49

Yeah, I was born in the Midwest but lived in Long Beach, CA up until 2012 so I know what you mean. Winter is a couple days of rain and mostly 50's for the coldest temps.I remember co-workers wearing overcoats when it occasionally dipped into the 40's! Better times...

yamahog > pitstop_pitowski
12/04/2016 at 18:59

We also store 3 of ours for the winter, so that process is a bit more like:

1. Remove summer wheels/tires, put in basement

2. Install storage wheels/tires

3. Fill up with fresh gas

4. Add fuel stabilizer, run through

5. Painter’s tape over exhaust

6. Hook up battery tender

7. Toss on the cover

Also I decided to put some cardboard under the Camaro this winter.

Enginerrrrrrrrr > pitstop_pitowski
12/04/2016 at 19:02

...you don’t normally have a safety kit in your car? or check your fluids?

But yes to everything else.

Also everyone who has moved to Colorado from california or texas this year.... please follow the tire-rule. Check your treads and don’t use summer tires. Hell, our high is going to be in the 20's on Tuesday...

WINTER IS HERE

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > pitstop_pitowski
12/04/2016 at 19:16

Winter tires on, undercoating this week to protect against the Nova Scotian winter road salt onslaught, and oil change coming this week too...Humdrum is almost ready! :)

Master Cylinder > pitstop_pitowski
12/04/2016 at 19:25

I’m a big fan of my Rally Armor flaps. They do a great job of keeping crud off the side of the car.

gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee > pitstop_pitowski
12/04/2016 at 19:27

Still have 2:1 antifreeze ratio from last winter? Check.

Snow rated all-terrains still there? Check.

Block heater cord hasn’t unplugged itself? Check.

Switch from 15w40 to 5w40? Don’t need to change the oil yet, it’ll be fine until then.

The MJ’s still ready for winter, as it always is, because I’ve seen snow every month of the year. Because Canada. All of the things you’ve listed always apply to me.

pitstop_pitowski > Enginerrrrrrrrr
12/04/2016 at 19:31

You are absolutely correct, by all means everyone should maintain their vehicle regularly. Honestly this post should be preaching to the choir since we are all car-savvy here. But winter is no time to be stranded, and by safety kit I mean a blanket, shovel, and other winter items. Both my wife and I have retractable shovels in the car. Those items and winterizing your car, etc.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > pitstop_pitowski
12/04/2016 at 21:33

Wow, Angelinos are tough. In San Diego, people start wearing what I’d describe as heavy winter gear when it hits 60...

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > TheBimmerGuyWhoNowOwnsAChevy
12/04/2016 at 21:36

I love how cars get all temperamental there about the slightest change in temperature. It always felt like you’d finally lose your battery the one time it got down into the 50s, but it will have lasted years longer than it was rated for.