Check your car’s health

Traditionally, winter is the time to give your car a thorough looking over.

With plunging temperatures putting more pressure on engines and battery, it’s important to make sure everything’s well with your car before setting off on potentially icy roads.

However, this time of year is also well worth either doing a little self maintenance on your car or dropping into your local garage to give it a once-over.

A competent mechanic will quickly be able to check if the winter weather has done any harm to your pride and joy.

Oil may need topped up and washer fluid replenished after clearing the windscreen during bad conditions. A mechanic can also check your brakes are in good nick, power steering fluid is ample and your battery is still fit for purpose.

If you’re one of the sensible souls that switches to winter tyres during the cold months now is the time to change the treads for summer rubber.

Windscreen wiper blades might also be ripe for a change as they’re temperature sensitive – squeaking when you switch them on in wet weather can be a sign this needs to be done.

You should also take the opportunity afforded by lighter nights and warmer days to give your car a thorough clean inside and out.

Getting rid of the grime of winter will make you feel better and gets your car looking good for spring road trips and weekends away.

We all put sunscreen on our skin when the sun shines but did you know it can also, over time, fade the paint on your car.

Applying a nice coat of wax after you’ve cleaned it will help keep your car’s colour the same as when it first rolled off the production line.

If you do these things now you’ll know you can head off on that summer road trip without worrying about whether your car will let you down.