Anti freeze

Being new to car ownership, and hence winter motoring I need some advice on how best to protect my car.

I see lots of people buying anti-freeze. Is that a useful product to use, where do I put it, in my washer bottle, somewhere else?

Cheers, excuse my ignorance!

Reply to
Mark Hewitt
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50/50 mixture of antifreeze and water in the coolant system generally. If you've not got coolant in there, just water, you'll want to be dropping it all out and refilling the system. You need it in summer too - stops the cooling system corroding.
Reply to
Doki

Just about any (if not all?) commonly available "screenwash" has anti-freeze in it. I trust you've been using screenwash and not just water?

Also, all engine coolant that I've seen has anti-freeze in it too.

If your car is new to you then I suggest you take it in for its service and they will make sure everything is okay for you.

As with all cars, old and new, one should really pop up the bonnet once a week (and before a long journey) just to make sure the oil, etc is as it should be.

It's far, far cheaper to top up the oil (and then you can quickly identify if there's a leak) than buy a new engine.

--Nick.

Reply to
Nick

Yup. I use the ready to pour winter screenwash stuff from Halfords.

Yes it is new, since August. I've not replaced any of the fluids except for the screen wash, and petrol obviously. It isn't due for service until August next year.

Yup, I've been doing this. But don't want to miss anything!

Reply to
Mark Hewitt

Also sprach "Mark Hewitt" :-

Don't put engine antifreeze in the screen washer bottle. Some flavours can damage the paint.

Reply to
Guy King

Also, don't put screenwash in your coolant reservoir. It looks really silly when you have to explain it to the RAC.

--Nick.

Reply to
Nick

Sounds good to me. You can get the stuff you have to mix yourself (far, far cheaper - works out at about 100l for £3) but ready-mixed screenwash is perfectly okay - as it'll be the right mix for most hard winter conditions.

If it's a brand new car then you probably wont ever have to touch anything apart from the screenwash.

Make sure the tyres are pumped up, INCLUDING THE SPARE.

I can guarantee you that this is the ONLY time you'll EVER have to change a wheel:

1) It's FREEZING COLD 2) It's PISSING WITH RAIN 3) It's THE MOST WINDY DAY OF THE YEAR 4) You have loads of people watching you 5) You're parked on a muddy bank at night

Once all five of the above has been satisfied you will need to change the tyre. Note: You never have to change one when it's a nice day.

I also noticed you said you might be new to driving. Be CAREFUL in winter, even if you have traction control and ABS. If you want to have a good skidding experience to show you how annoying it is go to a cul-de-sac at night after a re-freeze and try to do a full circle while avoiding the stationary cars.

--Nick.

Reply to
Nick

Thanks for all your advice. Useful stuff :-)

I'm not new to driving, I've held a licence for 10 years now but only driven other peoples cars, and hire cars. I am new to car ownership, and don't want to be caught out by something which everyone else thinks is obvious but I never thought of!

Reply to
Mark Hewitt

Always carrya torch

Point 6 of the wheel change is taht it will happen during the night where there is no street lighting and no moon,

Mu skoda (all laugh) had a rechargeable torch in the boot. Excellant iidea

Reply to
John

But if it's a new car, it will have a proper coolant mixture in it, and you won't need to worry about it other than making sure there's some in there.

Reply to
Doki

anti-freeze is added to the engine coolant which protects the cooling sustem from internal corrosion, and stops the coolant freezing overnight, as well as other benifits.

your cooling system should contain a 50/50 mix of anti-freeze and water, if the car is new to you then it would be a good idea to take it to a garage for the coolant to be drained and refilled as it needs replacing every few years anyway, that way you'll know you have a good mix there.

Into your washer bottle goes 'screen wash' which you can buy ready-mixed usually in 5 litre bottles or as a concentrate which is added to x amount of water, this mix is better at cleaning your windscreen than regular water, it also won't freeze overnight.

Regards. Mark.(AKA, Mr.Nice.)

Reply to
Mr.Nice.

Or even better, won't stay liquid in the nice warm engine bay, but freeze when it hits your windscreen. My old Volvo 340 had the expansion tank wrapped around / below the washer bottle. God knows why everyone doesn't do it.

Reply to
Doki

Or freeze in the washer jets ;) I didn't realize straight away what the leads were for that are attached to the jets on the Mondeo ;)

Watch some of the cheap "mix yourself" winter screenwash being sold in places like markets though, some of it contains mono ethylene glycol which could potentially damage paintwork.

Lee

Reply to
Lee

Oops that comment was meant for the OP ;) Sure Doki knows all about screenwash :) :)

Lee

Reply to
Lee

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