Summer swimming pools have been covered for months. The leaves are almost gone. Your golf clubs have been stored away in the basement. Have you prepared your car for the winter yet? You should, it's December on Friday!


Storing your summer tires/wheels:

Follow these few rules and your tires will remain in perfect condition throughout their service life.

* If your tires are stored mounted on wheels, keep them inflated to a pressure of 15 PSI (1 bar).
* Ideally, do not store them in an upright position, but stack them laying flat on their side. If this is impossible, leave them upright and rotate them about once a month to prevent the formation of a flat spot.
* Protect them with plastic bags thick or dark enough to protect the tires from ambient light.
* Avoid extreme temperatures and humidity. Above all, refrain from storing them outside, where they will likely be subjected to temperature swings and high humidity.
* Do not leave them on a moist or greasy floor; isolate them with a wooden plank.
* Keep them at least two meters away from electric motors and radiators. These devices generate ozone which oxidizes tire rubber and deteriorates the tires.


Check the tires: Look at the tread on your tires and see if they are worn down from summer-month driving. If there is wear and tear on your treads, then it could cause hydroplaning in winter driving. The easiest way to check for this is to insert Abe Lincoln's head-from a penny-into a couple of spots on each tire. If you can see the top of Abe's head, then "your tread is less than one-sixteenth of an inch deep-below the level where you can count on it in slippery conditions." Your tires will need to be replaced.

Wash and wax: Unless you have access to a warm garage with a drain and inside plumbing, you won't be able to hand wash your car for a large portion of real winter weather. So what is the next best thing? I recommend that you keep the car clean, even if that means using high pressure wand-type washes, where you do it yourself. If you must, use a good quality full automatic or "full-service" car washes. But be careful with your custom wheels. And try to find a touchless car wash. I dislike all of them. However, it is more important to get salt and muck off your car than to worry about the few minor scratches or haze marks that will get on a car during a wash that is less than perfect.

Cold weather washing: Roll down the windows about an inch and dry off the seals there. Leave the windows down and drive the car with the heat on full for a while to dry out the seals in the windows before rolling them back up, to prevent them from freezing shut. I usually never have problems with door locks freezing, but a spray of door lock anti-freeze doesn't hurt before and after any wash.

Wax: Put a good coat of wax on for a nice protective sheen. Everyone has their own favorite brand. I use Griot's Garage for my detailing products. If you have an inkling for reapplying car wax every month, as recommended by most brands, then sure, go for it. But, if you are like most, a once-every-few-years coat will do. But be sure to find a good wax that is designed to work for an entire season. I use a spray wax after each wash. And a serious wax, a few times a year.

If you happen to own a garage that is attached to your home, you're all set. Just open that door that leads inside the home. In 10 minutes or so, you have a heated garage to wax in. No excuses!

RainX works: If you disagree, learn how to use it properly. RainX will make your commutes in the rain and snow a lot more fun. And it will also save your wiper blades.


(Click my sig link if you don't have heated side mirrors, they are also great for cold climate A3 owners)

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Links to DIY Threads, Mod Threads, Suggested Reading:
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DIY Radar + OEM mute/led switch!

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