“Nobody wants to be broken down on the side of the road on a minus 30 winter night”

Connor Lalande
Pontiac Oct. 16, 2023
From sunny blue skies to rainy grey ones, the weather has shifted drastically over the opening weeks of October.
While it would be easy to get lost daydreaming about the balmy, picturesque dogdays of summer, winter is upon us - and the time to prepare for the impending cold of the quintessential Canadian winter has arrived.
For many, amidst the cornucopia of winter-preparation tasks to be completed at this time of year, car care is at the forefront.
Mechanic and owner of Jer’s Auto Service, Jeremy Williams, says that tires should be on the minds off all car owners at this time of year.
With what he describes as “COVID related supply chain issues” impeding drivers’ abilities to replace aging tires, Williams suggests being proactive to ensure the safety of yourself and your family on the roads this coming winter season.
“The only thing between you and the road are your tires,” said Williams. “You can check them yourself, but it’s a lot easier to have someone that knows what they’re looking at check them just to make sure that you are actually going to be safe with what you’re driving on.”
While tires are first on the list of winter car care necessities, Williams strongly suggests taking the time to inspect your vehicle and take note of anything that may need some work.
“Before winter hits, take a look at things and kind of have an idea of what’s worn out or on the verge of needing replacement,” said Williams.
“Maybe there’s a hose clamp that’s not looking the nicest. You don’t want stuff like that rusting in the middle of the winter. Check your batteries, you check your alternators, your starters. All the things that you don’t want to fail on a minus 30 Christmas night,” he said.
Lastly, in the case of any type of vehicle maintenance, William suggests being proactive and booking an appointment with your mechanic sooner rather than later.
“The earlier the better. For the next two, three months it’s going to be steady booked,” Williams said. “Do yourself a favour and book soon, you wont regret it.”