7 steps to prepare your car for winter

7 easy steps to prepare your car for winter weather

Blink and you’ll miss it – that’s what summer felt like this year. It was April, and then we blinked, and now it’s October. The days are getting shorter, the nights are getting longer, and it’s bitterly cold when you wake in the morning.

And it’s only going to get worse!

But not only does the weather being on the turn mean that we need to crack out the SAD lamps and vitamin D tablets like our lives depend on them, but it can also impact our driving and our cars.

Vehicle breakdowns tend to increase in winter because of the plummeting temperatures and worsening weather.

While breaking down can be an expensive annoyance in the summer, in winter it can be downright unbearable when the weather is bad, and your one source of shelter has stopped functioning.

If you lease your car, you are one step ahead of the game. Because it’s a brand-new vehicle, it’s far less likely to go wrong and break down on you.

And there are other steps you can take to prepare your vehicle for the winter months. 

Taking just a few minutes out of your day for a spot of maintenance can help you prep for winter,  reduce the risk of breakdown and make your driving experience more comfortable and enjoyable.

1. Service your car

Getting your vehicle serviced at the recommended intervals is key for good vehicle health year-round.

But it’s particularly important at this time of year as the cold weather will make problems worse, potentially leading to more costly repairs.

Regular servicing checks the vital components of your car, and fixes any problems that crop up. These consistent checks allow issues to be picked up before they get worse, or prevent issues from cropping up in the first place.

Getting your car serviced regularly is a key part of your lease agreement, because the overall cost is based on depreciation. Your car’s residual value is calculated at the outset, dictating your monthly payments. But, if your car isn’t serviced and issues are left to worsen, your car's value could depreciate further than anticipated.

To make life easier, you can bolt on a maintenance package to your car lease that spreads the cost of your servicing and maintenance, making unpredictable car costs a thing of the past.

Most lease cars won’t require an MOT before you hand it back, but bear in mind if you have a pre-registered vehicle, or your lease agreement is over three years, you will need to get the car MOT’d. 

If you do take out a maintenance package, this cost is covered.

2. Check your battery

Wintery conditions put added pressure on the battery, through both a loss in output and the extra demand caused by increased use of lights and heating.

Keeping warm on the go depends on a healthy battery – and running out of juice mid traffic jam is definitely not on your to do list. 

If your battery is straining when you turn the car on, it’s time to replace it. You shouldn’t have issues in your lease car, because they’re so new, but it’s worth keeping an eye on.

If you have an electric car lease, you might need to top your car’s battery up more often. 

Though some now come equipped with heat pump technology that makes the battery more efficient, the colder weather can put more strain on the battery and drain it faster, giving you less range to work with. 

3. Check your tyres

Though you should be checking your tyres regularly – especially if you’re setting out on a longer journey – it’s more crucial than ever to check them in the winter months.

Your tyre’s tread depth affects the traction with the road, and your stopping distance. Making sure your tyres have a tread depth of at least 3mm is recommended in winter, instead of the legal limit of 1.6mm.

You might also want to consider switching to winter tyres, particularly if you do a lot of driving in the colder season, which are designed to optimise performance and safety in harsh conditions.

And make sure you’re checking your tyres for signs of general wear and tear. This includes bulges, tears or cracks anywhere on the surface.

4. Check your lights

As the clocks change and the days get even shorter (we know, we’re sorry), maximising your visibility with effective lighting will help you and other road users to stay safer.

It’s worth doing a thorough once over of your lights before the evenings really start to draw in to make sure everything is working as it should be.

And, while you’re there, give them a good wipe, and make sure any misting or clouding is dealt with.

Driving in the dark is a whole new consideration, but clean lights will make it all the easier.

5. Check your windscreen

Winter brings with it pretty pants driving conditions and visibility, both because of the shorter days and harsher conditions.

Your front and rear windscreens will likely need a bit more TLC at this time of year, so that your visibility isn’t impacted. Regularly cleaning them inside and out not only improves visibility, but means you get a chance to check what condition they’re in.

Make sure to get any chips dealt with quickly, because these can get worse in cold weather. 

You’ll also want to check your wipers, and make sure that they’re in tip top working order for the next time you’re caught out in heavy rain. Washer fluid is an absolute essential at this time of year too, to help you and your car cope with the increasingly wet and muddy conditions.

You can include de-icer in your windscreen washer solution at a 50/50 ratio – and make sure you don’t use hot water to try and de-ice in a hurry.

6. Carry a breakdown kit

It might seem a bit overkill, but you’ll thank your past self if you end up broken down in the depths of winter. Carrying just a few extra essentials on board can make all the difference.

A torch, high-vis jacket, warm clothing and blankets, plus plenty of non-perishable snacks and drinks, will help make the wait for assistance just a little more bearable.

Pack a portable charger too, so you can keep your phone juiced up and ready to go. 

7. Prepare for your journey

Any longer journeys will need a little extra prep during the wintertime.

Always check the forecast before you travel – though if you’re anything like us, you’ll have been glued to it in the days leading up to your journey – and your full route for any blockages or traffic holdups in case you need to prepare an alternative route.

Most satnavs and other navigation apps are pretty good at alerting you to any incidents on your way, and will be able to divert you if necessary when you’re on the road.

The risk of road traffic incidents does, unfortunately, increase in winter, so it’s worth allowing extra time for your journey to pre-empt any issues. 

It’s also worth stopping off at a garage before you go, so you can fill up your tank but also check your tyre pressure. The last thing you want is to breakdown because of something preventable when it’s minus temperatures outside.

If you have an electric car lease, it’s also worth noting down the service stations you might want to stop at to recharge, if you need to, so you have eyes on where you’re going and what you’re doing.