As the leaves begin to change colours and the temperature starts to drop, Cochranites begin to focus on getting their cars winter ready.

Mark Brolsma, Lead Technician at Erol's Automotive says there are a number of things to keep in mind when getting ready for winter driving.

"You need to make sure it's going to start obviously," he says. "So that means a good battery, proper oil, a working block heater, and you'll probably want bring it into your garage and get it to do a good winter check"

October is one of the busiest months of the year at Erol's Automotive as tons of Cochranites look to change over their tires.

However, if you think you're beating the rush by getting winter tires on early, you may be doing more harm than good.

"We generally say you want to hold off as much as possible, you want the temperature of the road to come down, so I generally try to hold off until Halloween. It's a little bit of a gamble in the spring when to take them off, I would say in the beginning or middle of May, because you never know when we're going to get snow around here."

Brolsma says while you can do some maintenance at home, it may be best to get your mechanic to look over the car, as you don't want a surprise when it's minus thirty.

A few tips on keeping your car running well on winter roads:

  • Winter tires: Winter tires are comprised of a softer rubber that helps them grip cold pavement, the extra tread also prevents sliding.
  • Wiper blades: Ensure they're in good condition, streaks can obstruct vision especially while driving into the glare of winter sunshine.
  • Battery: A battery that is several years old may have a tougher time starting the engine in cold weather, a service technician can test your battery to see if it will make it through the season.
  • An emergency kit: A snow storm can impede help from getting to you quickly, be sure to have a blanket, candles, and matches at minimum.
  • Wiper fluid: Buy a winter specific fluid that won't freeze.
  • Coolant: Have it tested to be sure it can handle sub zero temperatures.
  • Oil: A high viscosity oil may thicken up in the cold, it may be a good idea to change it to a lower viscosity.