Cars Archives - Wealthy Turtle

Well we’ve gotten pounded hard with snow here in New Jersey. There’s at least two feet of snow out there I still haven’t dug my car out of the driveway.

Playing in the snow with my kids always makes for some good laughs but driving in the snow is not quite as fun. But if you follow these 7 tips for driving in the snow you’ll be sure to reach your destination in one piece.

Stay Home

Every time it snows, the weathermen on TV say the same thing…”Avoid the roads unless you absolutely have to be on them.”

Good advice, and I wish more people listened to them.

I’m fortunate that I can work from home when the weather is bad, but not everyone can do so. Still, it amazes me how many people hit the roads when they don’t really have to.

Do you really need to hit the bar or the mall in a snowstorm? Maybe staying home would be wiser.

Seriously, the safest way to drive in a snowstorm is to not leave home to begin with.

Check Your Tires

Not everyone has the luxury of staying at home in a snowstorm. If you have a job or responsibilities that require you to be there no matter what, you might have to brave the elements even if there is a blizzard outside.

If that’s the case, you definitely need to keep a close eye on your tires. Tires are the most important safety feature you have when driving in snow. After all, they’re the only part of your car that is actually in contact with those slippery roads.

If your tires are bald are worn, now is the time to replace them.

Don’t Get Cocky

Just because you drive an SUV with 4 wheel drive doesn’t mean you’re invincible.

In my experience driving an SUV often gives drivers a false sense of security in the snow. They drive around like they own the road and can do no wrong.

One time I was driving home from work in the snow and taking my time in my Camry when a Ford Explorer when blowing past me like I was standing still. I cursed under my breath as he sent up a stream of snow right on my windshield as he raced past.

A couple miles down the road I saw the same Explorer where it had lost control and popped up on the curb and into a small retaining wall. The driver was just fine but his beautiful SUV was in rough shape.

Four wheel drive won’t help you brake any quicker if you hit an icy intersection or black ice. Don’t get cocky.

Slow Down

Many car accidents can be avoided if everyone just slowed down a little bit. This is especially true in bad weather when you have less time to react and make decisions.

When roads are slippery I always drive in lower gear because it gives me more room for error and it will help me stop quicker.

Remember, slow and steady gets home safe and sound. Accelerate slowly. Leave plenty of room between you and the car in front of you. Start stopping well before you have to.

And if possible, don’t stop at all. If you’re careful you can sometimes roll up to an intersection when you have a red light and then slowly accelerate when the light turns green. Stopping completely can get you stuck with spinning tires, but if you can avoid stopping you’ll have inertia on your side and it will be easier to get going again.

Stay Focused

Driving in snow can be tricky business and you don’t need any more distractions making things even more difficult for you.

That means you need to turn down the Lady Gaga, put down the Egg McMuffin and stop sending text messages so you can focus on the road.

Driving while distracted is a bad idea under the best circumstances. In the snow it is downright dangerous.

Keep Your Tank Full

A few years ago I got caught in a snowstorm and had to drive home from work under horrible conditions. Winds were gusting and visibility was practically nil. Snow was accumulating quickly and the roads were a disaster.

My normal drive home took about 25 minutes but under those conditions it took me 3 hours and 15 minutes.

Fortunately I had a full tank of gas when I left the office. If I had been running low and planning to stop on the way home I would have been screwed.

People have run out of gas while driving in snow before, and you could find yourself stranded on the side of the road for hours without heat.

Be Prepared

Driving in snow adds an element of unpredictability to your trip and it’s best to be prepared for something to go wrong.

Make sure your cell phone is charged. Keep some jumper cables in your trunk. Toss in a small shovel and ice scraper. And don’t forget a bag of sand to help get some traction if your tires are spinning. Cat litter or even a couple boxes of dried pasta will work too.

A blanket and some glow sticks are also a god idea to keep handy.

And don’t forget some snacks. A few granola bars will keep you going if you’re stranded in your car and waiting for help.

Do you have any other tips for driving in snow that you can share?

Chances are if you’re reading this, then saving money appeals to you. Whether you pinch pennies or just watch the bottom dollar, car maintenance is bound to be one of those things you loathe. Regular detailing and deep-cleaning of a car can help it hold its value better for resale later. If you’re not planning to resell your car, keeping it in top-notch condition is still worth the effort. Think about it, who really wants to drive in a car that holds a strong resemblance to a dumpster?

Fortunately, there are ways to clean your car and take pride in it without busting the old wallet.

All that said, it is important to know when to seek the help of a more, ahem, qualified set of hands. If you’ve got a nasty-looking scratch or issue with your paint that could lead to rust, take the car in and have the paint touched-up. It’s much less expensive to do this now than to wait and end up fixing a rusted-out spot later.

Secrets of a Car Detailer

In an interview with Popular Mechanics, Mike Schultz, the head of new products at Turtle Wax advises you to “think of the surface of your car as you would your face. It needs to be properly taken care of in order to have a healthy glow.” Give your car that healthy glow and keep yours by not stepping on the toes of your own financial plans.

Air compressors are all the rage in car cleaning. Use the pressurized air like you would a stream of water. Move all the loose muck and grime in carpets and upholstery to where it can easily be vacuumed out. Use a stiff scrub brush to help get the dirt moving. The carpets and upholstery can hold a lot of not-so-awesome smells and getting the dirt out of them will help clean out your car so that when you put an air freshener in, it doesn’t mask bad smells, but puts good smells into an otherwise neutral zone. For leather seats, use a vacuum to get any loose dirt out of the nooks and crannies, and then wipe them down with a conditioning cleaner that has aloe in it.

Don’t put the air compressor away yet, once you’re done with the carpets and upholstery, use the compressor to clean out the air ducts and vents. That stinky, musty smell you get sometimes when you turn on the air can often be eradicated by pointing the nozzle of your air compressor at the walls of the ducts (just inside the vent) and getting rid of stuck-on dirt and grime. If you haven’t done so in a while, you might consider removing the air filters and cleaning them out with your trusty air compressor.

See, this is the deep-clean you would normally pay through the nose for, but you’re taking care of things at home so you can take the money you saved and head off in your fancy-schmancy clean car for something fun.

Next step is taking care of the wheels. Clean them with a non-acid-based cleaner. While pros use acid-based cleaners, this might not be best at home since you don’t really want to be paranoid about splashing acid on your car and corroding the paint away. Stick to a cleaner that won’t threaten to undo all your hard work. Once the wheels are nice and clean, wash the car by hand. Spend the extra $5 to buy a car-specific soap. You want to make sure the soap you use on your car won’t eliminate the necessary protective coatings and such that your paint needs. Get a 2-in-1 wash and wax formula that will help keep your car in great shape.

Once you’re done, consider squeegeeing the water off. There are car squeegees and chamois that will do the trick. Don’t just take her out on the road and air-dry her. As fun as that may be, there’s still going to be dirt stuck on your car just from washing it, so taking the time to remove as much as possible will make it more difficult for new dirt to find a place to stick.

Warning: This May Be Habit-Forming

If you take the time and effort to clean your car out all the way, chances are, you’ll be a bit more vigilant at keeping it clean. The next time you’re tempted to leave a Starbucks cup in the cup-holder, or ignore a piece of trash on the floor, you’re likely to think twice. It’s possible you’ll begin to find yourself in the driveway spending quality time with your baby, um, I mean car, more often. While you might appreciate the cleanliness of a paid-for job, it’s a whole new feeling when you do it yourself. Not to mention, there’s the added bonus of the money you saved.

What do you do to keep your car clean while saving a few dollars?

7 Tips For Driving In Snow