INDEPENDENT DEALER

   Alexander, North Dakota | (701) 770-2275

OUR BLOG

2/18/2020
If owning a car seems like more of a struggle than a convenience during the winter, you may dread every outing. To help you overcome these winter struggles, use these simple hacks.

Winter Hacks for Your Car

The winter cold is no joke. You may think that conditions are just a bit uncomfortable, but they can actually lead to some issues with your car. Even if you keep up your car's maintenance, it can be a hassle just to get it out on the road on a particularly cold winter morning. To help you have an easier time with your car this winter, use these hacks.

Windshield Hacks for the Winter

The winter can take a real toll on your windshield, and it can get quite frustrating. If you're tired of dealing with a frozen windshield or with a foggy windshield, then these tips are for you. If you rush out to your car every morning only to find your windshield is frozen, you may be tempted to throw hot water on it to melt the ice. Don't ever do this since the hot water can actually crack your windshield. If you don't have an ice scraper handy, you can use an old credit card to scrape away the ice. Another option is to grab a spatula from the kitchen and use this in place of an ice-scraper. Be sure to use a plastic spatula and not a metal one since the metal ones can scratch your windshield. If your main windshield concern is how much it fogs up and won't let you see the road, this is also easy to remedy. Head into your bathroom and grab a can of shaving cream. Take this out to your car and carefully put a layer of shaving cream on the inside of your windshield. Cover every inch of your windshield and then carefully clean off the shaving cream. This simple move can prevent your windshield from fogging up again because shaving cream and commercial defoggers have some of the same ingredients.

Keep an Eye on Your Tires

During the winter, your car may rely more heavily on your tires. Since the roads can get quite slick, your tire tread has to be in great shape. If you're not sure if your tires still have enough tread to keep you safe, there is an easy way to check on this. Grab a penny from your change drawer and head out to your car. To check the tread, simply pick a tire and stick the penny in between the grooves of the tread. The penny should go in headfirst so that you can measure the tread. The rule is that if Lincoln's head is still mostly covered, your tires are still good. If you can see the top of Lincoln's head, then it's time for new tires. Prepare your car for the winter with the help of a synthetic oil change in Williston. Click here to purchase AMSOIL's Signature Series 0W-20 Synthetic Motor Oil and keep your engine running well all winter long. If you want to find more great products like this one, contact the friendly oil experts at Advanced Filtration Technologies, Inc at (701) 572- 3780. They can help you find the right oil for your car and place your order.

Keep Your Key from Getting Stuck

Another annoyance you may come across during the winter involves your car key. The keyhole in your car can freeze overnight, which may not sound like a huge deal. However, if you have to stick your key in the keyhole to get your car open, then your key might actually get stuck in there. The easiest way to prevent this from sticking from happening is by coating your car key in hand sanitizer or rubbing alcohol. When you stick your key in the keyhole, the alcohol will melt the ice in the hole. Similarly, you can also use a lighter to warm up your key slightly so that when you slide it into the keyhole it won't get stuck. Another option is to grab a straw from your kitchen and blow air into the keyhole. This may sound like a joke, but as you blow air into the keyhole, it will help thaw it out.

It's Time for a Synthetic Oil Change in Williston, ND

Prepare your car for a great winter with the help of a synthetic oil change in Williston, ND. If you need help finding the right oil for your car, contact the friendly oil pros at Advanced Filtration Technologies, Inc. Give them a call at (701) 572- 3780 to learn more or to place your order.