getting your car ready for winter drivingIf you live in a colder state, or even if you’re planning to visit loved ones in a colder area over the winter, the following tips can help with getting your car ready for winter driving. Just think of them as handy reminders of simple steps you can take to stay safe and keep your vehicle in great condition in the winter months.

Clean Your Car Often

Because of how often cars get dirty in the winter months, car owners tend to wash their car less- the opposite of what your car needs! Thanks to all the grit, salt and slush on the roads, it’s even more important to keep your car clean during the winter. The snowpocalypse leftovers have mostly melted down, and a majority of the cars on the road still have salt and grime eating away at their paint! But it’s not too late.. there is still a lot you can do to retain your car’s value.

1) Make Sure You (and Your Car) Can See

Besides making your car look “prettier”, clean windows and lights (headlights, indicators, brake lights, tail lights) can help with visibility. Also, check to see that your heater and defroster are working properly so you can keep the windshield nice and clear. On another note, modern cars have a variety of systems like cameras, sensors, radar, ultrasound, or some combination of those things to aid you in driving. In winter months, a healthy coating of ice, snow, or grime covering these systems can render them useless or make them go irritatingly nuts. Parking sensors are the worst for this, and may beep at you because it’s getting false positives from a bit of ice or snow. So, safety aside, it’s worth it to keep your sensors clean and working for your own sanity.

2) Remove the Salt!

As AutoGeek puts it, “Salt used to de-ice the roads can also de-paint your vehicle if you’re not careful.” After prolonged exposure, de-icing products can damage paint or rust the undercarriage. Solution? A quality wax or sealant combined with correct maintenance will get your paint finish through the winter. If you don’t feel like washing it yourself, just take it down to your local Valley Car Wash!

3) Don’t Forget to Dry Off

Believe it or not, drying is an important part of car washing, especially in winter; after all, when it’s particularly cold, you don’t want collected water to be freezing your doors shut. Keep your car in tip-top shape and bring it down to Valley Car Wash, where you can relax while your car is cleaned with the industry’s best equipment. It’ll be the best (and cheapest) investment you’ve made this winter!