Winter has quickly come upon us, and I’m sure we all have thought about what we should do to get our cars ready for the winter months. Usually it’s after the snow is falling…ice is everywhere, and your car suddenly won’t start at Midnight on a Tuesday when it’s well below freezing. There are a lot of small steps you can take to avoid problems and keep your VW or Audi reliable all Winter long.
Wiper Blades
One thing i’m sure most of you have been aggravated by are streaking wiper blades… More and more we appreciate nice wiper blades in the snow and rain, especially in the evenings when visibility is minimal. If you’re like us, you’ve spent a fair share of money on poorly made wiper blades only to have to replace them on a regular basis. We’ve found the solution to this problem with the high quality silicone wiper blades from PIAA. PIAA wiper blades are a definite favorite amongst the NGP staff. Their longevity and quality is top notch: several employees have have had the same set installed on their car for over 5 years!
One tip to longer lasting wiper blades is to avoid running your them on a dry windshield. Most wiper damage occurs at that time, and it significantly shortens blade life.
Battery
We can’t even begin to stress how important its is to have your battery checked this time of year. It should be load-tested, water levels checked (where applicable) and the terminals cleaned and coated. It’s an easy insurance that can be done by nearly any shop so you don’t get caught with a no start problem at the worst possible time. A bad battery can go through the warm months with zero issues but can quickly become a problem as soon as it gets cold outside. It doesn’t take much.
Cooling System
The cooling system in the car is something that is often neglected during the cold months. However, it’s very important to keep in tip top shape all year round, even when the weather is cool. This is not only to help the engine, but to also make sure you have heat for the winter. It’s also extremely important to make sure that you’re using the proper type of coolant, check for leaks, and the coolant mixture is correct for whatever temperatures your car will see. If the coolant mixture is incorrect, you run the risk of corrosion over the long term at best, or a severe engine damage like a cracked block or head at worst, so have it checked before it causes you (and your wallet) some serious damage.
Oil System
Engine oil is one of those items that you always need to stay on top of. While several vehicle manufacturers are recommending a 10,000 mile oil change intervals, we don’t recommend going over 5,000 miles for an oil change. This is even more important with todays turbo-charged or direct injection engines. This is important even when using a good quality synthetic oil (such as our current favorite brand: Liqui Moly) and high quality German oil filters like Mann, Hengst, Mahle and select Bosch models. We won’t get into the cheap quality of some no-name auto store oil and filters – German cars need German parts, and skimping on oil is not the place to save money. We see the damage at our shops every day, even from cars which saw dealer-service from day one and the owners followed those recommended high-mile intervals.
The 10,000 mile intervals can often lead you to believe that new engines are capable of lasting longer, and it appears to be cheaper to service the vehicle over its life. While this is a great sales tool for a dealership when they’re selling you a new car, the engine repair will be at your expense when there is a severe failure outside of warranty. Lifter damage, timing chain guide damage, tensioner failures, excessive oil consumption from accelerated cylinder bore wear and more are seen at our shops all too often on newer vehicles. And it’s almost always because the oil change interval was too long.
Tires/Suspension
At the end of the day, your tires are one of the most important elements to staying safe or even getting anywhere at all in the snow. Now is the best time to invest in some snow tires or install your winter wheels – don’t wait until shops are all closed or booked up solid due to the weather. And don’t forget an alignment – it will help your tires last longer and ensures safe braking, straight tracking, and overall better handling. If you have coilovers it’s also a good time to raise them to give you more clearance for snow and ice. Keep in mind you need to clean the threads before you adjust the coilover collars. Completely cleaning your coilover housings is also a good idea this time of year. This will go a long way to preventing rust or corrosion issues. Remember, coilovers are should not be exposed to salt and road grime for extended periods of time – even when they are stainless, coated, plated or otherwise. They should also be serviced at least once a year to prolong their life – it’s cheap and inexpensive insurance to protect your investment.
Car Body/Headlights
Last but not least, let’s not forget the exterior of your car. Always try to protect your car’s paint with a fresh cleaning and waxing before winter weather hits. If you have hazed headlights it’s a good time to have them polished so that they have optimal light output. To keep your headlights looking and operating great, we recommend using some Lamin-X film to help protect them from the elements. Cleaning the inside of the windows and applying some Rain-X to the outside of the windshield is also a great idea. Remember, visibility is key in inclement weather. An old trade secret is to clean the exterior windows with window cleaner, and instead of paper towels, use an old news paper. The ink from the paper will have a reaction with the cleaner and leaves a slick coating on the glass to help disperse water similar to Rain-x.
We hope this information helps keep your car looking nice, running great, and keeps you safe this winter. If you are interested in any of the products or services mentioned in this e-mail, please feel free to contact us.