Summer's past, and pretty soon it really will be too late to cut the grass — but Paul Westerberg/Replacements references aside, it won't be too late to get your car ready to face fall.
True, autumn isn't quite as challenging as winter, the natural enemy of the automobile. But it's best to think of fall as a period of preparation, which makes sense anyway: it's harvest time in much of the northern hemisphere, when people have always stocked up for the cold months to come.
What we'll be discussing here are few ways to make the transition from golden autumn to frigid winter much easier.
SEE ALSO: A step-by-step guide to fixing a scratch on your car
Fix every scratch.
Winter's harshness will expose any blemish in your car's finish to the ravages of water: as cold rain, as sleet, as ice or snow.
The result: rust. Not good.
The best way to do quick repairs of minor scrapes and scratches is to avoid the body shop and do them yourself. A simple repair kit can be purchased for around $30 and will enable you to fix the those imperfections in under an hour.
It won't look brand new, but it will keep the rust at bay.
Take a look at your tires.
All-season radials can get you through winter, but they need to be in good shape. Fall is the time to check for tread wear and replace beat-down tires with new ones.
This is also a good time to rotate your tires, so that they wear evenly.
In regions where snow is certain, you may want to start thinking about a set of snow tires. And if you plan to tackle harsh road conditions — say, on a skiing vacation — a set of tire chains could be in order.
Stow some winter emergency gear in your car.
Obviously, if you get stranded in summer, you aren't going to be shivering in a dead car while you wait for the tow truck.
So take this opportunity to bolster your car's emergency kit with some cold-weather gear. You'll want to have a warm coat — a cheap, lightweight down jacket can be a good choice — plus some gloves, a warm hat, a change of socks, and a blanket.
A few bottles of water is also a good idea, as are some non-perishable granola-type bars.
This is also the time to make sure that you have an ice scraper, to deal with the sudden arrival of bad weather.
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