Prepare Your Vehicle for the Winter

Get Ready for Seattle’s Rainy Season

Winter is just around the corner in the Pacific Northwest, and now is the time to prepare your vehicle for cold, harsh weather, and slippery roads. Whether you’ve lived in an area with harsh winters all your life or you’ve just moved from a warm climate to the area, it’s important to make sure your vehicle is properly prepped. In addition to taking care of any known auto repair needs now, here are a few things you can do to get your car ready for Old Man Winter.

Consider Snow Tires

Snow tires are designed to increase traction on icy and snowy roads. Some also have ceramic or metal studs coming out of them. The studs are designed to further improve traction and grip on slippery roads. If you live in an area that has heavy snowfall and/or very cold temperatures in the winter, you may want to consider purchasing and installing snow tires for at least the worst part of the season. They can also be helpful on journeys up snowy passes, as some roads in the Pacific Northwest are closed to vehicles without these tires.

Inspect Your Tire Tread

If you’d rather keep your regular tires on your vehicle instead of using snow tires, that’s okay. Just make sure you don’t plan on going into heavy snowfall and inspect the treads for wear. To do this, stand a penny inside the tread groove of each tire. If you can see Lincoln’s entire head over the tire grooves, it’s time to visit an auto repair shop for tire replacement. If you can’t see Lincoln’s head or can only see the very top of it, you should have enough tread to make it through the winter.

Fix Your Heater

Getting into a warm car in the dead of winter is very comforting, and it can also help keep you safe in any emergency situations. Any problems with your heater should be fixed now, before it starts to get really cold outside.

Schedule Your Auto Repair

Total Performance Inc. in Seattle, Washington would love to get your car winter-ready. To schedule your repair or maintenance service, contact us by phone or through our online form today. You can also stop by to explore our selection of products.