Winters are here! Prepare yourself and your car for tough times

Winters are here and most of us have started unpacking the winter wear we had last year to see what can be used and what has to be junked. Soon, a lot of us would be flogging to a store to buy a new set of winter clothes. While we do that, there is a member of our family we should look after too. This member has four wheels and an engine to power them. This member helps us in reaching various places we need to visit, be it office, market or relatives living some distance away from us. This member is the car that we have parked near to our house and while it does not ask for anything more than fuel, maintenance and few other things, it is about time it also receives some love from its owners.

You may be wondering whether it is sympathetic rant or plain stupidity that is being discussed here. However, do consider this – winters are extreme in India because when the fog kicks in, the visibility drops to as low as half a metre too. We struggle just to get out of our bed and prepare a cup of coffee for ourselves. These are just some instances that we have to face. Think about your car which does not get any warm treatment and has to stay outside for entire nights. The oils inside pose the danger of freezing out inside the engine, the tire that refuse to grip the tarmac when the car starts running, the lights not being able to light the way in the night and more such issues are the kind that you should be vary of. Fear not, we have a some suggestions to make that, if followed, can help your car in dealing with the harsh winters.

1. Lights

The first and foremost part on your car that needs your attention is the lighting system. It is important for you to be able to see ahead of you at all times, be it night or day. Winters pose the fog challenge for your car's lighting system and if they are not working properly, you stand the risk of either bumping into someone or being bumped into by someone. OEM lights have become quite good but you have to shell quite a bit of money to reach those levels. However, there are players in the market that provide you with solutions in this area (OSRAM, Bosch, etc.). These players have been working on providing after-market solutions when it comes to vehicle lighting systems to ensure you can upgrade such bits on your car instead of having to buy a new car altogether. These guys have also been working on providing you a set of fog lamps as many of you have endured the days when fog lamps were considered a luxury instead of a necessity. We have been working on bringing such solutions to you and you can check them out here.

2. Reverse Parking Systems

Since visibility is a luxury when it comes to winter season and ensuing fog, the presence of reverse parking systems is something you should seriously consider. After all, if you are unable to scan the road in front, how are you going to park your car in a parking lot unless it is an underground lot? We folks in India are yet to see the times when underground parking lot are widespread. Add to that the fact that our car's rear windscreens have been growing slimmer with every new vehicle coming to the market. While hatchbacks continue to be driver-friendly to a large extent, parking becomes a problem with SUVs, sedans, etc. (basically anything bigger than a hatchback). So, do not spend time pondering upon whether you need reverse parking systems or not and get one from here. You will thank us for suggesting these.

3. Glass/Bottle holders

Winters mean a lot of warm drinks. Warm drinks require places to hold their containers. But all the storage spaces in your car may not be well-equipped to hold the warm drinks that you want to savour while dealing with winter season. Plus, you can always use those spaces to hold something like a small box of corn (for instance). But, for that to happen, you need to have the space for the same. This is the point where we come in. We have a range of accessories to help you increase the storage space in your car for that hot cup of coffee/tea or just water. You can browse through the collection here.

4. Door Guards

Since visibility is bound to go down, you never know the place where you open your car's door to get out also has a pole or another car standing nearby. This puts you in a fairly risky zone as damaged panels mean that your car would not look as great as it you want it to. In case you are wondering whether you need them or not, consider this – door protectors are the kind of accessories that are too small to cause any visual issues when it comes to your car's looks, protect your car's doors from any unwanted damage and deter most thieves by making them believe they are a part of your car's anti-theft security system. So many benefits to draw from four small objects is a proposition you should give a serious thought too. We gave it a thought and complied a number of products that you can check out here.

5. Wiper Blades

Among the things you discover are not working on your car are the wiper blades. Allow us to clarify this statement of ours. In winters, your car's windscreen plays parking to mist. To get it off your windscreen, the first thing you do is fire up the wipers. Since there is too little mist to make the wipers slide on the windscreen without resistance, they start losing their effectiveness. In essence, what happens is that in some time, you see that using the wipers means scratching your car's windscreen when it is not even itching (pun intended). When that happens, you can be sure that you will be cursing the wipers on your car for not working when you need them to work the most. So, in the interest of keeping your brain temperament down and protecting your car's windscreen from unwanted scratches, we advise your check your car's wiper blades and replace them, if needed. When it comes to replacement, we can help you with that by providing you with some options that you swap your car's old wiper blades with here.

6. Idol

Finally, some things matter and some do not. Among the things that do not matter are the ones we would not even draw your attention towards. Among the things that matter are the ones we have discussed. However, this particular item is not going to improve your visibility on a foggy day. It is not even going to protect your car from any disasters that may befall it (we do not wish for any such thing

to be faced by you or your car) but it is all about faith. The presence of a deity, in spirit or in a tangible form, is always considered auspicious. Not many of us are atheists and even if there are such folk, their parents, wife and/or kids may not be the same. Also it does not hurt to keep one in your car. So why not go out and get one as well from here?

Have we missed out on something important in this list? Feel free to suggest us the same in the comments below.