The cold temperatures, snow, road salt and potholes were less than kind this past winter. It’s time to give special attention to your batteries, tires, belts, hoses, fluids and brakes to ensure you are taking the best possible care of your motorized baby.

Make sure you have a clean, tight & corrosion free battery connection

Test & replace weak batteries

Check tires for bulges & bald spots

Make sure your wheels are properly aligned

Check tire pressure. Low pressure = decreased gas mileage & tire life

Inspect shock absorbers & chassis parts (ball joints, tie rod ends, sway bar links & bushings)

Replace belts that are worn, cracked, blistered or soft

Inspect your brake system: lines, hoses, parking brake and brake fluid

Check fluids: engine oil, transmission fluid, power steering, coolant & washer fluid

Practice engine damage control & change your dirty air filter

A new air filter helps eliminate abrasive dust, dirt & bugs from entering your fuel system air intake

Dirty filters decrease gas mileage & increase emissions – change yours

Winter weakens windshield wipers, check for cracks

Check interior & exterior lights. Replace dull bulbs

Eliminate metal corrosion & perform a thorough cleaning

Keep cool. Check coolant levels, flush your radiator & check for coolant leaks

Inspect your exhaust system, check for leaks, damage, broken supports & hangers to avoid damage

Use only automotive car wash products to prevent stripping your vehicle’s wax finish

De-clutter your interior & ditch winter gear

Visit us at 986 Wall St for all your AUTOMOTIVE NEEDS

5 Clever Car Tricks for Winter

(Adapted by Taylor Shea from Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things (Reader’s Digest Association Books)

Foggy windshields blocking your view?

A great tip for clearing a foggy window is to keep a chalkboard eraser in your car – quickly wipe your window (it doesn’t leave smudges). This is warmer then rolling down your window to let the fresh air do the defogging.

Ice side mirrors?

To prevent icy side mirrors cover them the night before with plastic bags and secure with rubber bands or clothespins.

Wiper blades frozen to your windshield?

Soak a soft cloth with full-strength rubbing alcohol and wipe each blade. The alcohol keeps the blades from sticking even on the coldest day of the year!

Car door locked with ice?

1^st trick: heat your car key with a match or lighter then gently push the heated key into the lock to melt the ice. 2^nd trick: take a regular drinking straw and blow directly onto the frozen lock, your hot breath should melt the lock in no time!

Icy windshields messing with your morning?

Who likes scraping ice in the am? Fun little trick to help - rub a raw onion half on windows/windshield the night before a big freeze. The big question here is – what is worse…scraping ice or smelling like an onion?

Surviving -44C Weather – Winnipeg, MB

People who are not from our friendly province of Manitoba think we are crazy for choosing to live in weather like this… are we crazy?! No way! We are Survivors!

CALL

204-772-2481

For ALL YOUR WINTER NEEDS

• Canadian Energy batteries “Built for Canadian Winters”
• Temro block heaters and cords
• Cathelle plug ends (for those “Oops” moments)
• Kleen-flo Ice Melter
• Shell / Quakerstate / Irving Synthetic Oil

Last week I polled our CTR staff to see who was “resolution – ing” for 2015 and I was impressed by what I heard! Some of us are working on weight, smoking, family stuff, learning to cook cabbage rolls, running across Manitoba or maybe they said running the Manitoba Marathon?! Anyways the point of this blog is to share the fact that we have a very motivated and highly inspirational team on our hands!

Let’s do this 2015!

For those of you readers who made resolutions CTR wishes you the best of luck, hopefully you are sticking to them especially during these extremely chilly temperatures.  With weather like this it’s not easy to head out for a run and it’s definitely tastier to ditch the baby carrots and eat an extra-large bowl of pasta…but STAY STRONG people!  CTR supports you!

One more thing – are you suffering from cabin fever??? Come visit us at 986 Wall Street where there are lots of friendly folks waiting to serve you today!  I’m pretty sure it’s a proven fact that shopping for auto / industrial supplies is the leading cure for cabin fever like symptoms…Google it!

Stock Your Vehicle – The Bitter Cold Snap Is Here!

It isn’t fun to wake up to -37F but it’s even worse to wake up to a dead vehicle. Then imagine having to wait 3 or more hours for help to arrive and your 8:00 a.m. business meeting has now been tossed out the window…time to be self-sufficient and grab a Rescue Portable Power Pack today!

Come by CTR and check out our huge selection of winter emergency supplies:

                -First aid kits

                -Shovels

                -Flashlights

                -Fire extinguishers

                -Fuel deicer

                -Lock deicer

                -Quik melt

                -Windshield washer fluid

                -Booster cables and more!

This month’s feature: Rescue Portable Power Pack