Cold-Weather Car-Buying Tips

Customers shopping for used cars in Albany, NY, or other cold climate areas should be aware of how cold weather can affect a vehicle that has been sitting on a lot waiting for a new home. Anything that is made out of metal is not a big fan of cold temperatures. Metal shrinks in the cold, and in turn, cold weather can cause major damage to all aspects of a vehicle if exposed to it for extended periods of time. There are also some features that can make the winter weather easier to handle that you should consider as you shop. Here are some tips for buying a car during extremely cold months.

Steer Clear of Frostbitten Vehicles

Look out for signs that the vehicle you’re considering has been affected by prolonged exposure to wintery weather. If you are thinking about purchasing a vehicle and run into these issues, you may want to consider moving on to shop at a different lot that has taken better care of its inventory. Not every car can be kept warm on the showroom floor (especially if it’s outside), but steps can be taken to keep cars from acquiring too much damage from exposure to cold weather.

Cold-Weather Features

When considering buying a used car in the winter, there are some steps you should take to make sure that the vehicle that you are considering is also prepared for winter flurries. You may not think that heated seats are a big deal when you’re on your summer vacation, but in the middle of a winter blizzard, you will wish you had thought about the upgrade.

Heated seats are a luxury that has not always been available to consumers purchasing a car. Nowadays, though they don’t come standard in most vehicles, heated seats are a customizable option on most new and even used cars. Once you’ve experienced what it’s like to ride in a car with heated seats running on an exceptionally cold winter day, you will agree that whatever the cost of the upgrade, heated seats are a luxury you can’t really afford to go without.

Then there’s the heated windshield. So you’re late leaving to work, and you are warming up your car when you notice a thick layer of ice on your windshield impeding your view. You have two options. Either brave the cold, get out in front of your car with an ice scraper, and do the dirty work, or sit and wait patiently while the defroster does its job slowly but surely, making you even later for your shift. You may not immediately consider the convenience of having a heated windshield until you are in a situation like this firsthand, but for those living in colder climates, this waiting game is a daily struggle during the winter time. A heated windshield will set you back about $1,500. That may seem like a lot of money to fork over for shoppers in warmer regions, but that $1,500 is a small price to pay to save you the hassle of scraping your windshields off every day in the biting cold.

Winter tires or snow tires are usually about the same price as all-season tread, so consider having your car fitted with the right kind of tires if you live in a cold climate area. When it comes to your safety and the safety of your family members, no price is too much to pay.

The battery of the car is another part that tends to suffer during cold snaps. Storing your car inside a garage can help prevent wear and tear as a result of cold temperatures. But if your dealership doesn’t store the cars indoors (or you haven’t kept your own vehicle in the garage), it’s worth having a reading done to see how much charge remains on the battery. If the battery is less than three years old, you can skip this step—batteries that new won’t usually have problems related to the cold. (You should normally change the battery every three years anyway.) If an older battery has been exposed to below-zero temps, though, not even a jump start may be able to resurrect it. That’s why it’s important to know the battery is in good condition before you’re depending on that vehicle to get you around.

In addition to these more major issues, there are a few smaller considerations to check before you take your car out on the road in winter weather. We’ve compiled a checklist for you.

• Check the headlights for clarity. If the clear covering is fogged or blurry, toothpaste is a magical solution. Simply use toothpaste to clean the headlights and get them shining again.
• Keep your emergency kit stocked. Every car should have a kit in case of emergency to make things easier while waiting for help to arrive. This kit becomes even more important in colder weather. It should include first-aid supplies, flares, cables, a battery-powered air compressor, and blankets—in case you run out of gas and have to wait it out in the cold. Some non-perishable food or water isn’t a bad idea to include, either.
• Maintain proper tire pressure. Even a 10-degree drop in temperature can reduce the pressure in your tires by 10 percent. The proper pressure for your vehicle’s tires can be found in your instruction manual or written on a label inside the door frame. Whatever you do, don’t get tire pressure mixed up with the number for PSI written on the tire! That figure is calibrated for the tire itself and not your particular vehicle.
• Check wiper blades for visibility. Rain, sleet, snow, or fog, you’ll need your wiper blades functioning well to maintain good visibility as you drive in winter weather. These are so cheap to replace, there’s no sense in putting the task off once they start to deteriorate.

Even if you’re purchasing a car during the summer, it pays to be aware of these maladies that can strike cars that have been exposed to winter weather. Make sure the vehicle you purchase is in good running order to get you where you need to go no matter what the weather. At DePaula Chevy, we’re glad to explain how to care for your vehicle during the winter to make the most of the miles ahead.