Easy maintenance tips to see your car through the winter months: Fall is a good time to weather-proof your car

#BeavertonCarGuy

Hello Loyal Beaverton readers.

Thank you all for reading and writing in, we greatly appreciate it. We would also like to thank all of you for your feedback and comments. One reader recently asked a very good question:

What inexpensive things can I do to help my car survive the upcoming cold and rainy Beaverton weather?

Excellent question and the answer is far more important for older vehicles, than it is for newer, or new vehicles. With Summer all but a fading memory, now is the time to start getting our vehicles ready for the colder months ahead. Here are some very simple items to help keep your vehicle in top operating order.

Check the battery

Fall is a good time to inspect your car battery, making sure the cables and terminals are snug, and retighten if needed for good contact. If your connections are dirty or showing corrosion, disconnect and clean them with a wire brush or cleaning tool. Be aware that when you disconnect the battery, you may have to re-enter a security code in your radio or navigation system. This is a very common aspect to be aware of with today’s sophisticated electronics.

If the vehicle is to be parked for extended periods of time, it may be wise to connect a trickle charger, or battery tender.

Check the head lamps

As our vehicles age out headlamps can become cloudy and or hazy, this is a more common issue on vehicles that are parked outside and not in a garage. When the headlamps get cloudy and hazy, they no longer are as bright as they once were therefore limiting our ability to see the road as best we can. Headlamp lenses can easily be polished with recently available headlamp restoration kits which can run slightly over $20 for a good kit, and the results last for quite some time. This is a very good investment that will pay off when driving during those rainy (and possibly snowy) evenings.

Check the wiper blades

Wiper blade inspection is also a very good idea. If they are streaking or not clearing the windshield of debris, you can first try to clean them. This is done by simply using full strength glass cleaner on a clean rag and wiping the wiper blades clean and free of summer debris which settles on the blades. If the wiper blades continue to streak or not clear debris, obviously it is time to replace the wiper blades. Beaverton NAPA on Lombard and Broadway in downtown Beaverton is where I go. The staff is very helpful and if you purchase wiper blades, one of their counter people will install them for you.

If you want to go a step farther, a nice, good coat of rainX is something I always apply to all of my vehicles for the wet season. This will help repel the rain and snow during the winter. It’s amazing how well this product works.

Check the tires

Tire inspection is also very important. Again, with the amount of rain we commonly get, a good amount of tread allows us to avoid hydroplaning in addition to improving the car’s stopping power and overall road traction. How to judge whether we need tires is really quite simple: insert a quarter into the tread; if you can see George Washington’s hairline then your tread is 1/8th of an inch and this is the minimum amount of tread recommended for maximum safety.

Mechanical maintenance

As far as mechanical maintenance, if your vehicle is due for an oil change, most certainly change the oil and filter, or take the vehicle in and have it done. During this time, it is of course a good idea to also have the coolant/antifreeze checked for proper level.

We hope this information has been helpful for all.

Please keep us in mind in the event anyone is in need of a new, pre-owned vehicle. We are a Licensed Dealership/Broker #DA4621 and we enjoy the opportunity to save you time, money, and hassle of going through a Dealership without proper guidance. We will also sell your un-used vehicle you may have sitting around the house. If you have comments or questions, please feel free to reach out to me: fergusonautobrokers@gmail.com or visit fergusonautobrokers.com