Musts and myths about preparing vehicles for colder weather
Staff writer
October usually is a busy time for auto shops as people prepare cars and trucks for the colder weather.
Webster Auto Service owner Barry Allen has seen more people replacing their tires because they want more tread to better handle snow and ice.
New tires being sold in Marion County are not what would be classified as winter tires.
“We don’t use snow tires like we used to do,” Allen said.
The auto service usually sells all-season tires.
What Allen is seeing is people returning to put air in their new tires.
Anytime the temperatures drop, so does the tire pressure, he said.
Car and truck owners often forget to check antifreeze, which leads to major problems in colder weather.
“A lot of this depends on the temperatures,” Allen said. “We do see some zero temperatures, but we have a lot of weather right around freezing.”
Preparing takes some thought before the weather changes.
“Anytime there is a big temperature change, we notice batteries go bad,” Allen said.
In some areas that are colder, drivers install engine block heaters.
In larger trucks some put heaters near the grill, but it does not happen very often here,” Allen said.