First Winter With Your New Car?

You’ve just bought a new car. Congratulations! Whether you are the first driver to the vehicle or whether it’s a second-hand car, you have a lot of preps and adjustments to make before you can call the car your own. Indeed, it takes drivers approximately 4 to 5 months to get fully used to a new car. You will need up to a handful of weeks to learn how to properly park your vehicle without breaking into a cold sweat – as every car is different, your brain will have to memorize its shape and dimensions. It’s completely natural to feel nervous at first. You might feel as if you’d just passed your driving license, but it’s all part of the new car phenomenon! Don’t worry; it will soon disappear. However, you’re likely to go through your first winter without feeling 100% confident in your car handling. One word of advice: Don’t take any risk! 

Do you have the right tires for the job?

Every driver needs to check their tires as the weather gets cold. But when you are not entirely confident behind the new steering wheel, it’s a good idea to get new tires that will make your life easier in snowy conditions. The Blizzak WS80 is a popular snow tire model for coupes, sedans and compact cars. However, they can be pricey, so if you prefer something a little more affordable, you should look at the Firestone range. 

Keep your engine running smoothly

The weather is still warm for now, but give it another couple of months, and you’ll have to scrape frost off your windscreen. Protecting your engine in winter is a no-brainer. You don’t want to run against high repair expensive because of poor maintenance choice. If you live in a northern region, it’s a good idea to opt for potent antifreeze and coolant solutions such as the PEAKHD products. Another essential tip is to look after your battery life. Make sure to test your battery before the temperatures start dropping so that you can be prepared. 

But what if you get stuck? 

Even if you take the best preventive measures, you might still end up getting stuck. Indeed, winter weather can dramatically affect cars on the road. It’s not uncommon to get stuck behind on your commute because a vehicle in front of you has broken down or because heavy snowfall has blocked the way. You need to be prepared for this unpleasant eventuality too. Make sure to pack extra warm clothes, blankets and some snacks in your emergency breakdown kit. Of course, we hope you never get to need those, but you’d be glad to have them if you ever do. 

One word of advice to all drivers

Finally, driving carefully on icy roads is not a new piece of advice. However, when you’re in the process of still figuring out your new car, you need to be extra careful about your driving habits. You can’t afford to get distracted by your cell phone or to let annoying drivers get the best of you as you’re still learning to handle the vehicle. 

Changing cars is exciting. However, buying a car just before the winter can make it tricky for you to handle the transitional weather as you’re still learning to find your marks in a new vehicle. There’s only one course of action to follow: Being overcautious about every decision is guaranteed to give you the best chance on the road.