Prepping the car for adverse weather |
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6. Gas tank
In winter, keep your gas tank full. Why? As temperatures change
during the day, condensation forms on the inside of the gas tank,
drips into your gas, descends to the bottom and finds its way into
your fuel line. Because the fuel line is exposed, if enough water
accumulates there, it will freeze and you won't be going anywhere
soon. Yes, alcohol-based "dry gas" additives such as HEET
will help, but don't overuse them or you'll adversely affect the
typical 90-10 gas-to-ethanol ratio of your gas, which could be hard
on your fuel line.
Bad move: Running on empty.
A new fuel pump will cost you $330 + one hour labor = $415; a new
fuel filter $40 + one hour labor = $125.
Good move: Running full
and keeping the dry gas to a bottle or two per winter. If your car
is going to sit out the winter, add a bottle of gas stabilizer (Sta-Bil
is one brand) to keep the gas fresh.
7. Wipers
Winter brings out what Paul calls "the U-boat commanders,"
who drive around peering through a periscope-sized clear spot on
their windshields. As dangerous as it is to yourself and others
to drive this way, it can also easily cost you a couple hundred
bucks. How? If you don't clear the ice and snow from your entire
vehicle and you hit the brakes while commanding your U-boat, the
snow that remains, especially on the tops of sport utility vehicles,
will slide forward onto your windshield, where it will pin your
wipers. Unless you shut them off quickly, you'll fry your wiper
motor, literally before you can see straight.
Bad move: Commanding a
U-boat. A new wiper motor will cost $120 + one hour labor = $205.
Good move: Come on, captain,
clearing the decks of ice and snow before shoving off.
8. Heater/defroster
If your U-boat vision is caused from the inside, it's time to check your windows, doors and heater core for leaks. Damp carpet and upholstery mixed with your car's heater system equals steam. If the culprit is your heater itself, you're looking at a fairly costly job, since heater coils are often one of the most difficult systems to access in modern vehicles. Similarly, check your defroster. If it can't generate sufficient heat to melt snow and freezing rain on the exterior of your windshield, it could spell disaster when the weather turns nasty.
Bad move: Cracking the
windows and wiping the fog while you drive. Cost of a new heater
core: $160 + four hours labor = $500.
Good move: Fixing the
leaks, drying the carpets and checking your heater and defroster
annually.
9. Winter kit
Perhaps the biggest mistake drivers make is to put off assembling
a winter survival kit.
"The guys who die in the far north are usually
the locals who basically just head down the road in T-shirts in
34-below for a six-pack and the car quits," says Duchene. "They
decide they're going to walk a couple miles and they don't make
it."
Don't find yourself in the same predicament. We've
assembled a minimal list of winter essentials that should be in
your vehicle every time you drive.
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Winter kit: |
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Bad move: Putting off
assembling a winter kit until Mom's birthday two months from now.
"I remember the blizzard of '78 and people sat in their cars
for three days," says Paul.
Good move: "It's a lot better to plan for the worst than to not be ready for it," he adds.
Jay MacDonald is a contributing editor based in Texas.
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