How to get your car ready for the pesky Birmingham winter

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With the temperatures in Birmingham slowly creeping downwards (and then back up, but ultimately back down again), Adamson Ford smells winter weather in our midst.

Our daily lives don’t usually stop for weather. Right?

This time of year, most of us rely on our cars to get us to and from work, holiday parties and those inconvenient errand runs.

I took a trip to the service department at Adamson Ford for some tips on how to get cars in tiptop shape for the upcoming cold weather months.

I met with Glenn Irvin, who has been with Adamson Ford for a while and even witnessed new developments from beginning to completion—like Railroad Park just a few blocks away.

“So, how to winterize your car,” said Glenn. I was in for a fun conversation, because I learned immediately that winterize is definitely a real word. I now feel 100 times more informed for knowing that.

Here are the steps Glenn and the Adamson Ford service department recommend to winterize your car.

In no particular order. They are all important!

Check the battery and connections.

Batteries are more prone to fail in cold weather. I know this to be true and have definitely been caught in the cold because of this.

Check the coolant (aka antifreeze).

Make sure there is enough so it won’t freeze over. It might even need to be flushed to keep it fresh.

Check the tires.

Make sure to keep your tires properly inflated. Cold weather tends to drop the air pressure. Also, you won’t need those snow tires. This is Alabama, after all. Ice tires … maybe.

Story break! During the Snowpocalypse of 2014, Glenn was caught on the roads like many other Alabamians.

He said his tires were bald, but he took deserted back roads to get home instead of the interstate.

The less frequent stop-and-go was a factor in his safe arrival home, and he’s lucky to have avoided a wreck. Still, he wouldn’t suggest trying it.

Check wiper blades and fluid.

Can’t wipe the melted ice off if your wipers are kaput.

Check the heater.

Make sure the floor and defrost are working. Cold toes and iced-over windshields are not fun.

Make sure your heated seats work!

Only slightly jealous of that luxury.

One last personal tip:

Keep some emergency supplies in your car.

I recommend blankets, extra jackets, water, snacks, a flashlight, first-aid kit and tools.

You never know when any of it could come in handy. Oh, and an ice scraper. CD cases just don’t do as great of a job as you might think they would.

Thanks to Glenn, Ike and Jason of Adamson Ford’s service department for the helpful tips on winterizing cars and for being fantastic models!

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