Plano Auto Service to Get Before Winter
Regular, routine maintenance can help improve your gas mileage and catch minor problems before they become big headaches. With winter right around the corner, Marlow has suggestions for your car care to give you peace of mind during late-fall and winter!
Simple Tips for Winter Driving & Auto Services
First and foremost, read the owner’s manual for your vehicle and follow the recommended service and maintenance schedules – this is the best way to catch small issues before they become major problems.
In addition, it can be good to start keeping track of any engine issues you run into over the next few weeks like hard starts, idling, stalling, low engine power, and more, as cold winter weather will make existing engine problems worse. Beyond these quick tips and potentially major issues, see our full list below – and make sure you don’t get caught in the cold!
Make Sure Your Heater & Defroster Are Working
This is not something you want to check after cold weather hits, because finding out after the fact doesn’t help anyone, especially you as the driver. Bring your car in to get these essential cold-weather features checked by Marlow’s experts.
The purpose of these systems are both obvious and highly important for winter driving – to keep you warm, and to make sure you can see out of your windows to drive safely.
Get Your Battery Checked
And not only checked, but replaced if needed. Having to jump your car is unpleasant in any circumstance, but having to do this in the cold or in the dark can add to the stress and hassle. Marlow Automotive provides battery checks for free as part of our bumper-to-bumper inspection whenever you are in for any service or repair!
But get in soon, as it’s more difficult for a battery to operate in cold weather than it is in warm weather. So if your battery is having trouble now, it will most likely have larger issues in the winter.
Marlow’s advice is to have your battery tested before winter gets fully underway.
Lights & Bulbs Need Attention Too
Winter is darker, and you may be driving in hazardous conditions more often, so making sure you have clean, clear, and working lights is more than just a legal issue, it’s a safety issue for you and others on the road.
You’ll want to do everything you possibly can to make sure all of your vehicle’s lights are in excellent shape, giving you bright light and no haze or flickers. And once winter and flurries hit, make sure you clean off any lights before you begin to drive – after all, a light covered with snow doesn’t help your visibility much.
Worn Tires Are Even More Dangerous in the Winter
Bring in your car to have your tires checked for an estimate on their remaining tread life. This is also a great time to check your tire pressure, as you should at least once every month. Rotating your tires or getting slightly larger ones may help you this winter as well.
And remember, all-wheel-drive only helps when you are accelerating, not braking, so don’t be overconfident this winter because of your AWD.
Get Your Filters Replaced, All of Them
This means air, fuel, PVC, and more. This might seem minor to some, but a poorly running engine is much less efficient, uses more gas, and will wear out faster. That isn’t something you want to deal with at any time of the year, but especially in the winter.
Get Your Oil Changed
Just like our ‘first and foremost tip, make sure you are listening to your manual and getting your oil changed on schedule when you should. You could even do this more often if you do a lot of stop-and-go city driving. This simple step can help your engine run better and for longer, ultimately saving you money.
Contact Marlow in Plano TX for Your Auto Service Needs Before Winter Arrives
Winter is coming quick, and whether we get an inch of snow, feet of rain, or something milder this year, you should be prepared and make sure your car is prepared as well. For many drivers, that means making sure your car is well cared for and all auto services and checks are up-to-date. See our specials before you arrive and schedule your services today!
Contact Marlow Automotive for your pre-winter auto services!
