Winter here isn't a few cold weeks. It's four-plus months of hard freezes, wind off the bench, and mornings in the negative twenties. Here's the checklist we run for our customers every fall.
- Battery load test. Cold cuts cranking power nearly in half. A battery that's marginal in September is dead in January.
- Winter-grade oil. If your car parks outside, full synthetic flows at -20°F when conventional has turned to sludge.
- Antifreeze strength. It should protect to at least -34°F. A frozen block is a four-figure repair.
- Wipers and winter washer fluid. Summer fluid freezes on the glass at speed.
- Tire tread and pressure. Pressure drops about 1 PSI for every 10°F, so August tires are low by November.
- An emergency kit. Blanket, scraper, jumper cables, flashlight, and a charger.
Why October?
Because the first hard cold snap is the deadline, not the reminder. Every year that first -10° morning fills parking lots with cars that won't start and books our schedule solid for a week.
Want us to run the whole list? See our winter car prep service or call (208) 555-0173 to set up an appointment.