The fact of the matter is that, while it’s not likely that many people would leave the house in a snowstorm without a coat, gloves, and a hat, many people don’t take the time they need in order to prepare their Nissan car for the harsh weather of the winter months.

The good news is that there are a handful of things that you can do in order to get your Nissan geared up and ready for those blustery, snowy, slushy days. Here are some things you should do to prepare your Nissan car for winter:

Make sure you have the correct tires. Especially if you live in a colder climate, it is probably worth the expense to buy winter or snow tires for your Nissan. Don’t use these tires during the summer, as they’ll break down with the heat of the road. In addition, they do make your fuel efficiency just a little bit worse, so you’ll want to put them on just during winter. If you’re not sure what kind of tires, your local Turnersville-area Nissan Dealer may be able to help you figure out the best tires for your car to use during those winter months.

Check your antifreeze. The job of the antifreeze in your coolant system is to keep your Nissan’s engine from freezing up when it’s cold outside. If your car is low on coolant, or if you have too much water in your coolant, it can cause problems with the way your car runs.

Keep up on oil changes. During the winter months, use a motor oil that is thinner and less viscous than the oil you use during the summer months. When you take your car in for your fall oil change, switch out to 5W-30 motor oil.

Check your battery. During the cold months of winter, your battery is vulnerable. It has a reduced capacity during winter, as well. You should inspect your battery. Look to see that the cables, terminals and battery fluid all look good. If there are cable breaks or corrosion on the terminals, make sure to get your battery serviced before winter starts.

Check your emergency kit. You need to have an emergency kit that includes blankets, a radio, a flashlight, flares, oil, coolant and washer fluid, in the event that your car breaks down.

Follow these basic steps and you may save yourself a lot of time, money, and frustration this winter.