Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/573382
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 20 SEPTEMBER 2015 Motoring 41 Getting your car ready for the winter weather AS we bid farewell to the baking sum- mer heat and look forward to the winter months, it's a good time to take a look at the car and make sure it is ready for the winter ahead. While we may not get any snow, heavy rain and cold temperatures are definitely ahead and it's important to be prepared. A regular 'check-up' will also help to extend the life of your car. Here is a checklist for getting your car ready for the cold weather. Check the engine coolant - A car's cool- ant system is not only designed to keep your engine from overheating, but it's also responsible for protecting it against corro- sion. Check your car's oil - When the outside temperature changes, it will influence the internal temperature of your engine, so make sure you're using the proper oil for the conditions. Check the battery - A car battery can die without any notice. Extremely cold tem- peratures can reduce a car battery's life by up to 50 percent. Before the cold weather sets in, have your battery tested by your local mechanic - especially if you have an older car. Also, make sure your battery connections are free from corrosion. Check the tire pressure - Tire pressure is especially important during the winter, as a properly inflated tire will help guarantee better traction in wet conditions. Make sure to read your owner's manual to find the correct tire pressures. If you plan on travelling with your car to areas where it may snow, you may want to consider buying a set of snow tyres. They'll do a much better job than the all- weather tyres fitted to most cars. Inspect your windshield wiper blades and fluid - Visibility while driving during winter months can be a great frustration. Precipitation on the windshield can play havoc while driving in winter weather. So make sure that you not only check the condition of your windshield wiper blades, but also consider changing your existing blades to versions that are made for the harsh winter weather. Also check and fill your wiper fluid reservoir. A harsh winter storm is the worst possible time to run out of wiper fluid. Sonax Gloss Shampoo – concentrated cleaning power SONAX Gloss Shampoo offers powerful, concentrated cleaning power for the manual vehicle wash. It works quickly and thoroughly against typical road dirt and is suitable for cleaning all paintwork sur- faces, metal, glass, plastics, rubber, as well as tiles, por- celain, and enamelled sur- faces. Phosphate-free. Retail Price of €4.99, now also available in the new fragrance Red Summer as 3L. SONAX products are exclusively distributed in Malta by Kemimport ltd. – 21492212