Friendly Reminder

November 15, 2007 – 7:09 pm by Matt Radel
Filed under Car Care

Just in case you’re traveling for the holidays and will be away from your car for a prolonged period of time.

The holidays are coming, and that means travel - by car, plane, train, bus…you get the idea. But before you go running off to grandma’s house for some turkey and presents, you should keep a couple things in mind.

First, it’s not a bad idea to visit your dealer or local shop to have your car winterized. The weather is getting colder (well, for those of us in the states that actually experience seasons that is) and having someone look over your brakes and anti-freeze levels can save you from spending some time stuck in your driveway or on the side of the road.

You should also be mindful of your fuel levels when it starts getting really cold. Leaving your car to sit in freezing temperatures with no gas in the tank for a couple of days is a bad idea. If you’re not going to be driving for a few days and the forecast calls for nasty winter weather, go ahead and swing by the gas station on the way home from work. It could save ya a headache later. You may also want to keep a lighter handy - just in case those locks freeze and you need to heat up your key.

Finally, take note of anything that drags on your battery power. Recently I left my car in long term parking at the airport for six days with my cell phone charger plugged in (whoops). By the time I got home, the car had barely enough juice for a couple starts. Make sure that you unplug any chargers or turn off any lights before taking off on a trip. Trust me - having to ask for a jump at three in the morning sucks.

We here at VB are always excited for the holidays, and we wanna make sure that our readers are able to enjoy them to the fullest. They’ll be here before ya know it!