F A C E S
M A G A Z I N E
O T T A W A
WE BUSTED SIX WINTER DRIVING MYTHS
BUSTED
AWD INSTEAD OF WINTERS >> All-wheel drive is great, but in the winter it’s not enough. Winter tires are all about traction and grip. AWD helps identify which wheels have the most traction and puts more power in them. By having winter tires, AWD can take proper advantage of the improved grip and traction. Simply put, AWD is not enough in the winter.
ALL SEASONS VS WINTER TIRES Driving all-season tires in these temperatures will cause unnecessary wear. If you are an adamant believer that all-season tires do the job while saving money, consider this: a study done by a Swiss auto club found that after five years, the total cost of tires is less for a sedan that switches between tires rather than one that uses all-seasons due to the increase in wear. (wheels.ca)
MELT ICE WITH BOILING WATER Please don’t. By pouring hot or boiling water on your windshield you are risking cracking. You might melt some ice, but it’s not worth the risk.
WARM
66 | FACES MAGAZINE
UP THE
Under
ANTI
CAR
Inflate
FREEZE
FOR SAFETY
FOR BETTER GRIP
FOR BRAKE LINES
We all do it. You either use your remote car-starter or begrudgingly dash to the car to warm it up. That’s great for your comfort and warmth, but that’s about it. Modern cars with synthetic oils only need about 15-30 seconds to idle and they are good to go. A longer warm up doesn’t improve safety.
Has anyone ever told you that releasing some air from your tires improves grip during winter? If yes, then they are incorrect. Under-inflating your tires reduces tractions, which is kind of important during the winter.
It seems logical; you need brake lines that aren’t freezing, and anti-freeze does just that, right? Wrong. By adding anything to your brake line you risk a complete system failure or worse. Keep your brake fluid topped up, but only use brake fluid.