The car owners living in colder parts of the world should pay special attention to this article. This is for you folks, who are planning their trip during the Christmas holidays and happen to live in Canada or any other place which witnesses snowfall round the clock. Here are few handy reminders to keep your vehicle in good working condition this winder.

Oil change: The oil should be changed after every 30,000 miles. If you have approached the deadline, don’t delay anymore; get the oil changed. While changing the oil, make sure that the oil has right viscosity. Oil tends to thicken as it gets colder, so you should ensure that the oil is not too thick as it won’t lubricate your engine properly.

Coolant: The antifreeze, which is called as the coolant, should be mixed in the right proportion. It should be a 50-50 mix (coolant: water) as to prevent the mixture from freezing in the extreme cold conditions.

Emergency kit: This doesn’t require to be reminded. However, we have seen many car owners forgetting to drop the emergency kit into their cars while traveling in the extreme cold conditions. Make sure that the emergency kit consists of ointments, a blanket, bandages, some dry food like chocolates.

Clear windshields: Since the life of the windshields doesn’t last longer than a year, it is better to invest in the new ones. Visibility while driving is highly affected during peak winters. To have considerable visibility in the blinding storm, fill up your windshield washer reservoir with windshield washer fluid.

Check the battery: If your battery has sustained three winter seasons, get it tested for the ability to hold a charge.

Check the belts and hoses: Get the belts and hoses checked for wear and tear.

Check the tire pressure: This is vital during peak winters. The air pressure is likely to drop with the dropping temperature. Inflate the tires properly. It is better to change the regular tires to snow tires during peak winter. This will ensure smooth drive along the wet and snowy roads.    

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Frequent engine oil change is vital to keep your car going on the road for many years. This is because frequent oil changes flush abrasive dirt and metal particles out of the engine and thereby prolongs its life. This becomes even more important when you drive in stop-and-go traffic.

When you are changing the engine oil, you should always ensure that you don’t overfill your engine crankcase with oil otherwise the oil may rise into the crankshaft where air bubbles will get churned into the oil. It will be then very difficult for the oil pump to operate correctly because it can’t circulate oil with air bubbles. As a result, the engine gets overheated putting stress on its components. Overfilling can spoil your spark plugs as well. So, if it is car’s engine, overfilling is a bad idea.

When you do the oil changes, you should clean the drain plug and washer with rags before re-installing the oil pan.

Not to forget the oil filter which should be changed with every oil change. The old oil filter contains nearly a quarter of dirty oil that will remain with the new clean oil. You should also check the air filter every two months and replace it when dirty or as part of a tune-up.

It is very important to regularly change the oiling in your car. Ideally, the oil in your car should be changed once every 3000 miles.

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Every car owner must have the automotive tools to fix the problems (minor or major) occurring in your car. Here is a check list of the important tools that you must possess.

Car Jack: The car must be elevated when you work on a car. You can do this by using a car jack. Keep a car jack at home and another with you wherever for emergency purposes. Car jack is of great help in case of a flat tire. You can reach at any point underneath if you have strong car jack which is found in garage.

Oil wrench: Your car needs regular oil change. To be precise, the oil should be changed once every 3000 miles. You need an oil wrench for this purpose which takes the oil filter off and allows the oil to be changed.

Socket-set: Proper tools are required to reach the spots under the hood easily. If you are dealing with parts of the engine, make sure that you have a 3/8- inch socket set in order to loosen or tighten the bolts with ease.

Funnel, rags, and bucket: When you are changing the oil, you should have a funnel, some rags and a bucket. Oil changing is the most important element of car maintenance. Hence, by using a funnel, rags and a bucket you can carry on the process neatly.

Grips: Some parts of your car may just not come loose. To catch hold of the parts without any difficulty, you should have a pair of vice grips which are solid and durable. With vice grips, you need not approach the garage just because the parts not come loose.

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Saving fuel means saving money. And not only are you doing something good to yourself but also to the generations to come. Fuel and depleting energy resources is one of the greatest concerns of the modern day world. Here are few tips that will help you go the extra mile… quite literally!

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