How To Protect Your Car This Winter

There are two ways you can protect your car this winter; the first we will go into is all about the detailing to protect your vehicle from road salt, snow, sleet and other elements which can deteriorate your paintwork over time and other components on your vehicle. Then we will dive into some tips and tricks to help your car survive the winter months, for instance how to check for the right tyre pressures and if the battery is in good working condition.

1) Apply paint protection

For this we recommend using a paint sealant which typically gives 5-6 months of protection in comparison to carnauba waxes which only last 1-3 months. You can take either your microfiber or foam applicator, spread it all over the vehicle, buff it off and you’re set. If you want to up this another notch, you can apply a ceramic coating which can last upwards of 2 years. 

With this step dirt and debris has less of a tendency to stick to the vehicle, so it can make washing the car a lot simpler, especially in the winter months.

2) Protect your wheels

Typically your wheels are clear coated, just like your paintwork, so you’ll need to treat it just the same. To be able to get deep inside the wheel, a paint sealant protectant in spray form that you can apply and rinse off will give you many months of protection and make maintenance cleaning a breeze. Or again you can use ceramic coating.

3) Apply a glass sealant

You should concentrate on the windscreen because this will become hydrophobic, meaning it will repel water. This means that water will bead off quickly and easily, and it will become less dirty over time as less can stick to it. Most importantly though, you’re increasing visibility, which is essential during the winter time with the testing weather conditions.

You can clay the glass and then apply the sealant or you can clay and then machine polish the glass with a specific glass polish. This essentially buffs off any grease and traffic debris that has formed on the windscreen and then seals in the clear finish. If you don’t have a machine polisher it’s also possible to do it by hand. Ice won’t accumulate nearly as quickly and is easier to scrape off.

4) Invest in appropriate winter tyres

Especially if you’re in a place that receives mountainous amounts of snow, investing in proper winter tyres is essential for safe driving in the winter time. You'll receive better stopping distances as well as better road traction as they’ve been specifically manufactured to repel water, sleet, snow and all those other elements.

5) Check your tyre pressure

At least every week, or every two weeks, measure your tyre pressures using a tyres pressure gauge. This is essential because as the temperatures reduce, your tyre pressure also decreases. Having optimal pressure for your tyres will not only give more even wear, but also just increases the overall safety of the car.

6) Check your battery

To ensure your car battery is functioning correctly, we recommend taking it to an experienced mechanic where they’ll check that the voltage is at a healthy level for your battery and also that it has enough cold cranking amps. As the temperature drops in winter the amps needed to start the vehicle go up, meaning you need a lot more power to start the car. Therefore, the more cold cranking amps you provide your car, the better the start ups will be.