Posted: 3/05/2021
Winter is coming.
It's time to batton down the hatches and bust out those warm winter clothes. Wood needs to be chopped for the fire and those hearty, heavy, winter favourites are appearing on dinner tables across town. It's also time to think about what winter means for your vehicle...or is it?
We sat down with Service Advisor, Ben James, to discuss some common automotive wintertime myths.
Myth 1: Heat will defrost your windows more quickly.
The truth: "Surprisingly, its the opposite that is true," says Ben. "Cold air carries much less moisture in it, so it's ready to absorb the moisture you have on the inside of your windscreen. Blasting that cold air might give you an initial chill, but it will defog your windscreen much more quickly than hot air."
Myth 2: You should warm up your car before you drive it.
The truth: this is only partly true. In cases of extreme cold, it is important to let your vehicle warm up. Thankfully, here in Dubbo, we don't face that kind of extreme cold. Older, carburetor style vehicles do need a little bit of time to warm up. Their engines are much less efficient than newer, fuel injection systems. Newer vehicles are ready to drive safely within 30 seconds.
Myth 3: Credit cards and warm water are a great way to remove ice and frost from your windscreen.
Ben says that one of the more common issues that come in to the workshop are scratches caused by using credit cards as ice scrapers. Using water on your windscreen is also a huge no-no. When you put water on your iced over windscreen, you are actually putting an incredible amount of pressure on the glass. Although it may not crack immediately, you are causing minute, hairline damages which will ultimately result in breakage.
Ben says that if you really want to remove the ice and frost in the safest, most efficient way, use a purpose made windshield ice scraper.
Bonus tip from Service Advisor Leah: "If you really want to keep the ice off your vehicle, do what I do - I cover mine with an old sheet at night. In the morning all I have to do is take off the sheet and there's no frost to remove!"
Myth 4: Your car battery is more likely to fail in the winter because it has to work harder.
The Truth: Ben tells us that your car battery does indeed work harder in the winter. But only marginally. Once it is warmed up, there is no extra work required. "The tine you really need to worry about battery failure is during the hot summer months, especially out here in Dubbo" says Ben. To keep yourself safe on the road, Ben recommends having your battery checked every now and then.
Stay safe and warm out there on the roads this winter. If you have any questions, our service team is always ready to help!