There’s an old saying in the automotive world: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” At Windrush, this philosophy guides everything we do, especially when it comes to winter car care. Whether you’re protecting your daily drive or preserving a precious and high value collectible, proper winter preparation isn’t just about maintenance – it’s about protecting your investment and its future value and ensuring your safety during the challenging winter months.
Preparing your car for winter driving: a checklist
Preparing your car for winter is often overlooked, but following a clear checklist can help you avoid breakdowns and stay safe in cold weather. Use this 6-step guide to ensure your car is winter-ready and prepared for all your winter driving needs.
1. Fluid levels
Think of your car’s fluids as its lifeblood. While the traditional advice of checking fluids every time you fill up with fuel (every 500 miles or so) might seem ambitious, winter demands extra vigilance. Under the bonnet checks become even more important in the winter months when dirt from the road and freezing temperatures can affect performance.
- Engine oil: Your car’s primary defense against winter wear
- Radiator fluid: Critical for maintaining optimal engine temperature
- Brake fluid: Essential for safe stopping on slick roads
- Screenwash: Opt for a winter-grade concentrate rather than water to prevent freezing. You will also need to use your wipers more to clear road salt, debris and mud.
Pro Tip: Keep a winter-specific screenwash reservoir topped up with a high-quality concentrate – this small investment can make a huge difference in visibility during those muddy winter drives.
2. Battery health
Winter puts extraordinary demands on your car’s battery and so keeping the car battery in optimum health during winter is a priority. Consider this: While you’re enjoying those heated seats and defrosting your windows, your battery is working overtime. But, the solution isn’t to simply leave your car out of action over the winter as battery health can also degrade if it is left idle. Here’s what we recommend:
- Regular battery health checks using professional diagnostic equipment
- Proactive maintenance through controlled trickle charging
- Performance monitoring to predict potential issues before they occur
To keep all our clients’ cars in perfect working order over the winter months, we have invested in sophisticated equipment to test the battery performance and health on arrival. Whilst in storage we then maintain batteries at the optimum level by trickle charging them to just the right degree before health checking them prior to use on exit. This enables us to monitor battery voltage output and also perform a health test of a car’s battery so we can see what action is needed and when.
3. Tyre tread and pressure
Checking your tyre tread depth, pressure, and overall condition for defects is something many of us overlook day to day, but it’s even more important when preparing your car for winter driving conditions. Focus on:
- Regular tread depth measurements across all tires
- Proper pressure maintenance, accounting for temperature changes
- Thorough inspection for damage or unusual wear patterns
Driving with tyres that are worn, not at the correct pressure or damaged can cause all sorts of problems, especially in winter. For a start, it can negatively impact your fuel consumption, but more importantly, driving on soft tyres can impact the way the car handles on the road. With risks such as fallen leaves, mud and ice building up on roads in winter, overlooking your tyre health is a no-no.
4. Regular servicing
Think of servicing as your car’s regular health check-up. Regardless of mileage, winter demands that your vehicle is in peak condition and so it’s essential to keep up with a regular servicing schedule. Afterall, no one wants to break down and be stranded at the side of the road as a result of something avoidable.
For classic cars and supercars, servicing is best done by a specialist who knows the make of car and can perform all the right checks and changes needed. Professional servicing ensures:
- Early detection of potential issues
- Optimal performance in challenging conditions
- Maintenance of your vehicle’s value
- Peace of mind during winter travels
Keeping on top of servicing and MOTs can be difficult to manage along with our busy day to day lives, which is why at Windrush Car Storage, we take care of this for clients. We log MOT expiry dates of every car that comes into our car storage facilities in London and the Cotswolds and then we take care of the servicing so that everything is up to date and on the button for the next time you want to take your car out.
5. Car washing
Washing your car in the winter can often seem like a thankless task as more often than not as soon as you’ve done this it’s dirty again. However, winter car washing isn’t just about aesthetics – it’s a crucial defensive strategy. So during winter, it is advisable to wash your car even more regularly than you might during the rest of the year.
Here’s why it matters:
- Enhanced visibility through clean windows and lights
- Protection against corrosive road salt
- Better visibility to other drivers
- Prevention of long-term paint and bodywork damage
6. Interior vacuuming
A clean interior isn’t just about comfort – it’s about protection. Winter brings unique challenges:
- Remove food crumbs to discourage winter vermin looking to hibernate
- Regular vacuuming to prevent moisture retention
- Thorough cleaning to maintain your car’s value
If your car is stored over winter in a carport or shed that is not fully sealed then this becomes even more of a problem as rodents will find their way into even the smallest spaces. Nothing beats a warm, cosy car with free food to boot! At Windrush Car Storage, we always perform a full valet of clients’ cars when they arrive so they are spotless when being stored over winter. Our secure indoor car storage for winter also includes pest control management, offering a fully sealed, rodent-free environment.
Winter car storage solutions
If you follow our winter car maintenance checklist for how to prepare your car for winter then you should be able to enjoy your vehicle all year round. However, nothing beats good indoor car storage for winter to keep your car in optimum condition: read more about Classic car storage over winter in our blog and learn about what makes good winter car storage below:
Security measures
Secure car storage for the winter is a prime concern for most drivers. From an environmental point of view, cars that are stored outside over winter are liable to natural risks from the weather that could damage paintwork and bodywork. But there are also other concerns about security. Aside from simple car theft, if you’re lucky enough to winter overseas, then leaving a car unmoved in the driveway is an advertisement that no-one is at home, so this becomes a bigger security risk! At Windrush Car Storage we offer 24/7 secure storage where you can have peace of mind that your car is being properly looked after in a secure environment.
Vermin control
As mentioned earlier, vermin in cars can become a real problem in winter. We’ve seen cars that have been stored in carports or garages that are not fully sealed, where rodents have climbed into the warm engine bay and chewed their way through to the cabin. Not only is this a problem because of the risk of disease and unwanted smells, but it can be extremely dangerous if they chew through electric cables and wiring. At Windrush Car Storage, we overcome the problem of vermin and other pests because our storage is properly sealed and we also have pest management in place.
A climate-controlled environment
We maintain optimal storage conditions to prevent:
- Condensation damage
- Mold and mildew formation
- Rust development
- Soft-top deterioration
With a dip in air temperatures going into autumn and winter, wetter days and humidity levels often reach saturation point (dew point), resulting in condensation (a lot of it!). Mild wet days followed by cooler nights cause this condensation which can lead to a build of mould inside car interiors and algae forming on soft-top roofs. It also causes external deterioration over time and can lead to rusting of brake discs, drums, bodywork and any exposed metal in the engine bay on classic cars. To combat this, we have always maintained a consistent and controlled environment inside our car storage facilities in London and the Cotswolds. Our car storage units are dehumidified and climate-controlled to offer the perfect car storage conditions all year-round. Read more about our dehumidified facilities in our blog on What does climate-control really mean for my car?
Preparing your car for winter is what we do!
At Windrush Car Storage, we take care of everything you need to prepare your car for winter. That means you can be safe in the knowledge that your car will be in optimum condition and ready to drive whenever you need it. Our comprehensive approach combines decades of experience with secure, state-of-the-art facilities, ensuring your vehicle receives the care it deserves.
From regular maintenance to specialized storage solutions in London and the Cotswolds, we’re committed to keeping your car in perfect condition, whatever winter brings. Preparing your car for winter has never been easier. Contact us for more details.
