Outta Here
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Car care tips lessen winter's blow
Winter Auto Supplies
If you are planning to drive this winter, there are a few simple and inexpensive things that cars need to help avoid major problems during winter. If cars are not properly maintained for the winter, they may eventually break down-probably on the coldest day of the year.
Here are a few items that can make a difference if you have car trouble this winter
• Sleeping Bag Change of
• Flashlight Clothes
• Toolbox Water
• First-aid Kit Sand/Salt
• Jumper Cables Shovel
Source: area mechanics
"I wait until I get home and let my dad fix my car," said Barbara Beckett, Independence, Mo., junior.
But not servicing the car before a long drive in the cold can be risky. By doing minor maintenance and planning now, your car has a better chance of making it through winter.
Steve Dieker, service manager at Gateway Auto Service, 534 Gateway Drive, recommends a tune-up including an oil change with a new oil filter, new spark plugs and a flushed radiator.
Jodie Chester
"At the very least, people should check to make sure their antifreeze is protecting to 30 degrees below zero," Dieker said.
If the car's radiator was flushed last year, the antifreeze should still be good, however, it should
be tested. Platinum-tipped spark plugs last about five years.
"The cold puts more load on batteries, so make sure that there is no corrosion on the battery cables," said Jerry Corbin, assistant manager at Midas, 2801 S. Iowa St.
The tread and inflation of tires must also be checked.
A penny can be used to check the tread on tires. Place the penny so that Lincoln faces you, with his forehead in the groove. If the top of Lincoln's head shows, you need to borrow more pennies and buy new tires. If you cannot see the top of Lincoln's head, the tire tread is still good.
Take a moment to check the inflation of each tire because temperature decrease can cause tire pressure to decrease. Look in your owner's manual or on the side wall of the tire to see what inflation the manufacturer recommends.
Once the tires are properly inflated, decide whether you need to put weight in the car to help with traction.
"If you have a light vehicle, you should add weight to help with traction and control," said Mark Haack, supervisor of road services at AAA Auto Club in Topeka. Most compact to medium-sized cars and trucks benefit
from adding weight to the vehicle.
Instead of driving your friends around all winter for weight, go to a hardware store and buy tube sand.
Look at the wiper blades to see whether the rubber is cracking. Be sure the wipers clear the windshield. Also, fill the washer reservoir with washer fluid before leaving town.
Once the car is ready, take time to think about what you might need in an emergency.
In case of a breakdown, you should have warm clothes, a basic tool box, a first-aid kit, a tow rope and some sand or kitty litter. A basic tool box should have pilers, a slotted screw driver, a Phillips screw driver, a flashlight, jumper cables and a socket set. Make sure the socket set has sockets that fit your car. Usually domestic cars use standard sockets, foreign cars use metric sockets. A first-aid kit should have Band-Aids, sterile gauze, aspirin, clean towels and an antiseptic.
If your car breaks down, being prepared makes it less of an inconvenience.
"If your car breaks down on you, don't walk too far because you don't want to get lost in the cold," Haack said. Waiting at the car is best. Haack said to flag someone down, preferably a highway patrol officer, and ask for a ride to a phone.
Getting stuck in the snow is another inconvenience. If this happens, stop and think. Try slowly rocking the car using the clutch in a manual transmission car or the break in an automatic. Keep rocking until there is enough momentum to free the car. Try not to spin the tires because it will only make the situation worse. If rocking does not work, try pouring a little sand or putting floor mats around the spinning wheel. If that does not work, you will need to ask someone else for help.
Towing insurance is an inexpensive addition to your car insurance policy.Most insurance companies sell it for less than what it would cost to tow a car once a year.Call your insurance agent to find out about towing insurance.
—BY DEREK FOSTER
- HUL - December 6, 1985
Hawk Holidays 15