With the Spring weather, comes rain. I love Spring showers, but not so much driving in the rain. It doesn’t have to be bad driving in the rain, with the right wiper blades. We travel a lot so when I was offered the chance to replace my wiper blades, I took the well needed opportunity. My Rain-X Car Care Kit came with a set of Rain-X® Latitude™ Wiper Blades specific for my van, a bottle of Rain-X® Weatherbeater® 2-in-1 Glass Cleaner & Rain Repellant, and a bottle of new Rain-X® X-treme Clean. Hubby put them on and I was very excited when we were able to try these out in travel. This set is amazing!
Rain-X and Jody DeVere, the President of the Women’s Automotive Association International and CEO of the auto-advice site AskPatty.com suggests using Groundhog Day as an annual reminder for you to change your wiper blades. Clear visibility while driving is extremely important and can improve reaction times in poor weather conditions. In fact, according to a report released in June 2008 by sciencedaily.com, nearly a quarter of all automobile accidents occur in rainy and wet weather so making sure you have properly working wiper blades is important to help avoid accidents in poor weather conditions. By routinely checking your wiper blades and performing safety checks on your car you can help increase your safety while driving during inclement weather.
• Conduct a regular walk around checking your lights, antifreeze, windshield washer fluid and wiper blades regularly
• Ensure your tires are properly inflated and have sufficient tread
• As the temperature drops keep your gas tank at least half full; the extra gas reduces condensation that can plug your fuel line with ice and stall your engine in cooler weather
• Create an emergency pack; items like a blanket, first aid kit, snacks, bottled water, an ice scraper, flashlight and a bag of kitty litter.
I was able to ask a few questions to Jody DeVere in regards to preparing your car and here is what she had to say:
I live in the Midwest, what suggestions do you have for helping winterize our cars and keep them safe?
A – Antifreeze: Make sure you have the right amount of antifreeze/coolant in your engine. Checking the level of antifreeze is as easy as lifting your car’s hood and looking to see if the fluid level in your antifreeze/coolant reservoir is at the indicator line. If your system is visibly low, take a few minutes to top off using a reliable, universal coolant .B – Battery: The lifespan of a battery is about three years; however, harsh winter weather can cut a battery’s life in half. There are no strong warning signs to alert you that your battery is going to quit. Having it checked during an oil change can make all the difference in the world, and it’s so simple. No one wants to be stranded with a dead battery in the freezing cold!C – Check Your Windshield Wipers for wear and tear. Be sure to look for cracked rubber, or to see if the wiper has a curve to it. No need for a mechanic in this case; simply lift the blades away from the windshield and inspect them. I use RainX Wiper Blades, they are easy to install and provides tremendous clean wiping in all types of weather. http://www.rainx.com/D – De-ice: Add de-icing windshield wiper fluid to help with visibility in bad weather. Adding de-icing fluid is so easy, you can fill your washer fluid in a garage, parking lot, or just about anywhere. RainX Windshield Wash wiper fluid both de-bugs and de-ices, eliminating the need to change products when winter arrives! http://www.rainx.com/
E – Engine: Check your engine oil regularly. This is a quick task that can help your car run smoothly. Just remove the dipstick from the engine while you’re filling your tank or topping off other fluids. All you need is a paper towel to clean off your hands when you are finished! If the oil pressure gauge indicates extremely low oil pressure, take your vehicle in immediately as this can lead to engine failure or take it to an AskPatty Certified Female Friendly dealer, Jiffy Lube or other ASE certified auto repair center. www.askpatty.com www.jiffylube.comF – Fill Your Tires. Having the appropriate pressure in tires is important in winter months; low tire pressure can hurt numerous parts of your car and lead to poor alignment. Checking tire pressure alerts you to possible leaks that could lead to tire blow outs. Having a tire gauge is very inexpensive and easy to keep in your glove box. This is just like checking the tires on your bike, except you don’t have to do the pumping. One more reason to check the tire pressure…having full and balanced tires can save 2-3 miles per gallon of gas, that’s extra money for you!G – Gas. Your gas tank should never be less than half-full. Anything less than this can lead to the gas lines freezing in your vehicle. Make sure you gas cap is on tight; this can also result in your gas lines freezing.
Finally: Create an emergency pack of items such as a blanket, a first aid kit, snacks, bottled water, an ice scraper, a flashlight and a bag of kitty litter, and keep it in your vehicle. Such items can be critical during roadside emergencies in heavy rain or snow storms.
Is there a special/specific oil that is better used in the colder months?
Yes, synthetic oil is best for very cold weather: It flows easier in cold weather, therefore no loss of prime when the oil is cold. Also, it is highly resistant to viscosity breakdown (the ability of the oil to flow easily in all temps) from heat, friction, chemical contaminants.· I have to ask this because we just had a chip fixed on my windshield, but is it true that a small knick in the windshield can spread and possibly cause your windshield to shatter?Tempered glass breaks down into small bits like sugar particles. Laminated glass is safer as it is made up of two sheets of glass with an interlayer of Polyvinyl Butyral (PVB), which prevents it from breaking into small particles. This makes it much safer in the event of an accident because the windshield might crack but the vision of the driver will not be disturbed, allowing a convenient onward journey. Only a laminated windshield is safe, as it does not shatter on impact. Call the dealership where you purchased your vehicle and ask them if you have tempered or a laminated windshield.
Are you in need of replacing your wiper blades and preparing your car for the Spring Showers and driving?
I have one Rain-X Car Care Kit to give away!
HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO DO!
- Post to me about how you go about preparing your vehicle for travel and how this kit can help you!
For extra entries:
- Twitter the giveaway (leave link on comment entry)
- Blog about this giveaway (leave link on comment entry)
- Email friends about this giveaway
- Subscribe to my newsletter (on right sidebar)
- Add my main button to your site
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Just the little tidbits about entries and what not 
- Please be sure to leave your email address so I can contact the winner.
- Winner will be chosen at RANDOM and backed up by post content.
- ONE (1) winner will receive a Rain-X Car Care Kit that comes with a set of Rain-X® Latitude™ Wiper Blades specific for your vehicle, a bottle of Rain-X® Weatherbeater® 2-in-1 Glass Cleaner & Rain Repellant, and a bottle of new Rain-X® X-treme Clean
- Winner will be contacted via Email. If no response in 2 days, another winner will be drawn
Contest will end on March 30, 2009 at midnight; central time
About Tanya
I usually clean it, stock it with necessities and get the oil changed, if it needs it.
I subscribe!
This kit would help me a great deal!
Clean clear windows that repeal water is so important to see thur in the reain & provide safety for my famil!
Plus, my wipers are almost dry rotted from the texas heat & the salt water rain from the hurricanes. Would be great to preplace them.
Check fluids, tires and wipers.