I need to get my car prepared for winter in the alps and obviously it will be a lot colder there than in SE England. What should I ask for to be adequately prepared? If it makes any difference, I have a diesel (not sure if that is better or worse or need anything done?).
If anyone can recommend a decent garage in Essex, fire away.
Many thanks as always.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Buy yourself some snow tyres.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
make sure the battery is in really good nick - if in doubt, buy a new one. Yes, get snow tyres. Once you're in France buy a little bottle of the additive to stop diesel waxing if it's below 15 degrees (the fuel sold round here is good down to 15 degrees, and it's best to keep the tank topped up with local fuel).
You need the usual stuff - high vis jacket, warning triangle, etc etc for France.
and make sure your car documents are kept in the car.
along with some emergency rations, a shovel, a torch etc. Commonsense, really.
You'll need chains too. Practice putting them on and off several times, preferably in the dark when it's lashing down with rain and wind and the car is parked on mud. Gets you into the swing of it.
If your car will be parked outside, you might need to think about a little squirty can of stuff to thaw locks. Can also freeze the door seals, though I usually find that I can get in the "downwind" side OK and have never bothered with vaseline on the seals, though that is no doubt a good idea if the car is outside all the time.
Leave the handbrake OFF when it's freezing. Lift the wiper blades.
A small handbrush for getting snow off (once you've shoved the top couple of feet off with a shovel) is handy.
pam w, Thanks, some stuff I had not thought off, lock deicer and small brush.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
pam w wrote:
and make sure your car documents are kept in the car.
Plus photocopies in the apartment.
+1 for chain practice. You really do want to do it a few times.
Sod's Law says that you'll only need to put chains on the car when you're wearing proper clothing - so a pair of disposable gloves and something to kneel on is good for putting the snow chains on.
A head torch is good. Putting chains on can be difficult enough anyway. In the dark, on the side of a road whilst trying to grapple with a torch really isn't fun.
In the dark, on the side of a road whilst trying to grapple with a torch really isn't fun, when it's sleeting.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Everything above, plus use up all the diluted UK spec screenwasher bottle contents now (especially if it's mostly water), and fill with decent pre-mix screenwash good for alpine temperatures. I usually make sure mine is brimmed, so the main stealer can't top it up with water (which they've done before!), for a pre-winter service.
Spare bulbs (+ screwdrivers necessary to change them! ), First aid kit, also legal requirement in some places.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Buy some silicon spray and treat the door rubbers to it. This will stop the doors freezing shut.(DO NOT put vaseline on the door rubbers it WILL damage them.) If outside park with the engine away from the prevailing wind.
There is also a section on www.natives.co.uk with some good advice.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
If you are having a service tell them to check the strength of the anti freeze, most manufacturers have a higher spec for use in colder conditions. Vaseline or better, silicon on the seals is useful if you park outside, if there is snow- thaw-freeze cycle you may be unable to get in the car or damage the seals trying. If there is any little thing wrong with the car the harsh conditions will find it out.
Off topic, be careful where you park, snowploughs don't negotiate, plus in resorts you may get towed if they are doing deneigement, plus don't be tempted to leave snow on the car, it can set solid and just a few inches will have a big affect on the handling. If parking into a snow bank, have the driving wheels outermost.
Last edited by You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net. on Thu 20-10-11 14:34; edited 1 time in total
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Spare fuse for the heater circuit. (A hire car blew a heater fuse when it was -25, there were 4 of us in the car with wet ski kit and we were half way up a hill in a snow storm. Not good!)
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
julietp, As pam w, Small Brush -hard enough to get snow off without scratching your car too much and a shovel, perhaps two if you have room. A big brush can be useful too. An old thick card board box, lining your boot but for laying on when putting on chains -it's much warmer.
I use an old lipsil wax to seal locks every few weeks as it keeps the moisture out and I've never had a problem. Try not to put wet keys into your locks as they WILL freeze! Winter screenwash is available easily there at -20C for around 5€ from Feu Vert and Carrefour etc.
UK cars used to have optional oil choices for winter/summer - you'll need to budget/hope for -25C or so to keep you engine safe, perhaps more, so it would be wise to let check you handbook and let the garage know where you're going and what the intended use is. On the off-chance you're using a Toyota I can thoroughly recommend the Toyota garage in Annemasse http://www.degeneve.fr/toyota/contact.php choose "Coordonnées" for location. I believe they are close to or cheaper than UK prices, but incredibly efficient -I always get my French car serviced there and wouldn't go anywhere else now.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Get a big brush, not a small one, or at least one with a long handle. That way you can clear both sides of the screens from one side
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Complete drain and replacement of anti freeze.
Complete drain and replacement of neat windscreen washer fluid which goes down to at least minus 20.
New battery if you're unsure of quality of existing one.
LED head torch (makes chaining up a hell of a lot easier)
Practice with chains now... it's sunny and dry.. you may feel a bit odd but best get competant with them now and you'll be able to do them in minutes by the time you need to.
Decent brush for wiping snow off car.
(all of the above apart from the usual stuff)
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
I'd get the brake fluid, and clutch fluid, done too - they can pick up water which can freeze.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Thanks all, really helpful and lots of things I wouldn't have even thought about! Out of interest, PamW, why should the hand brake be left off? Thanks again.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
julietp, they can freeze on.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
julietp, on certain types of vehicles it can freeze on and you are stuffed. always happens when you need to be somewhere fast as well!
Just leave the car in gear instead of putting the hand brake on.
Another point is to maybe regularly go down to a car wash and get the underside washed off to get rid of the salt that builds up. Also cleaning your car tends to guarantee it will snow again really soon afterwards!
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Winter tyres, not snow tyres. Quite different.
Hand brake off - in freeze thaw cycles, the shoes/cable jam on. Leave it gear.
Diesel - use the local 'mountain' diesel which will state it has the requisite additives from about Oct/early Nov onwards.
In really cold weather, if the car is not being used, or we're parking up for a while, we remove the battery
and keep it in the nice warm chalet.
We occasionally play around with frost protectors for the windscreen. They work sometimes.
A full selection of fuses, and some spare wires for the electrics. In freezing conditions, you may find certain items behave irrationally. For example you might find that your horn remains on and flattens your battery. Mine did this when ice created a contact between the horn positive and negative terminals and as your horn works when the ignition is off the short circuit allows the horn to work and flatten the battery. You might find that alarms have a similar malfunction in conditions where snow creates water which then freezes and makes a short circuit.
Best way to avoid this kind of thing is to disconnect the battery completely when leaving the car outside for a week or so. In other words, open the bonnet and remove the battery connection. Cover it with insulation tape, and leave it aside.
Not all cars will appreciate this, especially those with radio security codes or other annoying complications.
Do not use your windscreen wipers to remove snow EVER (except when moving and it is falling snow). You might break the windscreen wiper motor and blow the fuse.
Get a portable battery jump starter. This will be extremely useful when you find the battery is low and needs a boost. Jump leads might also be useful for the same reason.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Antifreeze is critical. Everything else is about getting the car cleared, a bit of inconvenience, but if you properly freeze the coolant in the engine you can literally crack the engine block in half. If that happens on any car more than a few years old, it will probably cost more to replace than the car is worth.
I'd suggest if you are planning to park the car up for some time to get a cover for it. Keeps the water out that is going to create a lot of the problems above, and also provides some insulation so that it is less likely that batteries and other things will freeze.
If the car is being used daily a lot of the above just won't apply - it will retain enough heat that the battery won't freeze, the coolant is unlikely to, but the windscreen washer bottle probably will unless filled with some serious fluid for cold conditions.
On top of the above, I'd suggest some good european breakdown cover. Even if the car is completely killed, you can probably survive a few months with it parked up, but come the end of the season you need a way to get it home - european breakdown cover can make that happen for you. You can't just dump a car in another country if it breaks down.
As others have mentioned if in any doubt about the condition of your battery replace it before you go. It will test it to the limit out there and they are very expensive to replace in France.
Definitely take some jump leads with you as well.
Loads of other useful information on here, which will be a great reminder for me if I take my car out this winter.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
lidl's do great screenwash
After all it is free
After all it is free
julietp, what make is the car - I note that it's a diesel but the make and type does make a difference.
I would put the advice into a checklist of 'do's' before you go, and things to note when you are there - behaviours. These are things we've done for years with VW diesels in the Alps for seasons there - diesels are good in the Alps - much easier to start but heavy load on the battery:
- get winter tyres
- get the antifreeze changed for new and get the lowest rating (-40 I think for VW) - my niece's Peugeot 205's block cracked in Chamonix in 2002 in the really bad winter - 2000gbp repair
- carefully clean all the rubber seals on the doors and apply silicon spray (a high silicon furniture polish will do it)
- spray around all the locks and into the lock barrels with wd40 to remove grease - wipe clean - this should do it for the season
- get a new battery if you have one over 5 years old - make sure you have the biggest battery that the manufacturer specs eg for the Passat there are two sizes - we use the biggest one
- use neat screenwash of high quality and low temp rating (eg bluecol)
- get the glowplugs checked since one down can be unnoticed in UK but is a big deal in the Alps
- take a complete set of fuses and get the mechanic to show you the diagram and how to replace them
- get new windscreen wipers
- get rubber mats from ebay for the front footwells of the car
- get a rubber window wiper (like a shower rubber) and a separate high quality scraper
- keep a shovel in the car
- keep an LED headtorch in the car and a wind-up led torch
- make sure that the garage clears out all of the water drains in the scuttle under the windscreen - this is a tiny but very important thing
- keep a complete box of replacement bulbs (legal requirement in France) and know how to replace them
behaviours
- practice putting snowchains on
- always make sure the windscreen wipers are free before turning them on - if they are frozen they will twitch 2mm and then try to move - possibly eventually burning the motor out
- always drive the car with heater up high but windows a little open (1cm or so, both sides) (unless it's snowing) to really keep the inside of the car dry - this makes a big difference
- kick off snow from your shoes as you get in the car - sit on the seat with legs out, knock your feet together and once snow is off, swing them into the car
- do carry skis etc on the outside of the car to reduce the snow and thus dampness in the car - why all this comment on dryness, well, condensation in the car is a menace - it freezes on the inside and causes dangerous reductions in visibility
- do try to park with the handbrake off
- do wash to underside every couple of weeks - garages have good sprays
- brush all snow off the windscreen with your brush, while it's still powdery, making sure that the scuttle is empty as much as possible - this is important for venting the engine and getting fresh air into the car, over a few weeks, if you don't clear
- brush snow off the roof of the car before you drive - one hard brake and the whole roof can come onto the windscreen if you don't
see
This is a lot to do and remember, but it's essential for a season.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
sorry one more important thing - try NOT to use the rear window demister - get used to using your side mirrors instead of your rear window, or wipe it yourself rather than use the heater. The rear screen heater is a HUGE drain on the battery and if you are doing short trips only will reduce the level of charge in the battery a lot, which is bad news.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Quote:
keep a complete box of replacement bulbs (legal requirement in France) and know how to replace them
in some cars this is well nigh impossible to do at the roadside, at least with some of the bulbs - counsel of perfection, I think.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Monium, +1 on all counts.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
pam w, ...ish....on our Golf, Touran and Passat it's possible to do all bulbs reasonably easily except one headlight bulb in each case (different side on the different cars), which is a pain in the proverbial, I agree. But all the others are fine, and I've pretty much done them all at some time in service stations in CH and France, sometimes in horrible weather.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Thank you for all this lovely information - I will be passing this to the "bloke" to make sure he gets our little car all sorted before we head out.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Ours is an 06 focus estate. Thanks again for all the info
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Just to add to valais2, pretty comprehensive list...
Get the pollen/cabin filter replaced. It has a big effect on the efficiency of the heater and is often overlooked.
Use the air-con in conjunction with the heater to clear condensation (a lot of cars heaters do this automatically when set to de-mist) as the air-con also acts as a de-humidifier.
Clear snow from the bonnet grill and all the lights as well as the windows, roof and heater scuttle.
In addition to snow chains, carry a couple of strips of carpet (1' wide and length of the car) with a length of shock cord tied to the end. Then when stuck in say, a car park or short section of snow on a bend, you can use them instead of the chains to get going. Lay them infront of the wheels, loop the shock cord to the rear and trap in the boot and you should be able to drive out over the carpet. The cord will tow the carpet behind you untill you're on clear road where it's ok to stop without getting stuck again. As long as conditions ahead are going to be better it's a lot easier than fitting and then removing chains and it'll often get you moved to somewhere safer to fit the chains if conditions are getting worse.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
adithorp,
Quote:
air-con
Luxury - I drive around in a cardboard box full of melting snow bumping along with square wheels. I can only dream of air conditioning
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
As well as all the above, (some good stuff there) couple of big plastic boxes for boot's n'shoes and other crap - numerous bungy cords for putting kit together...........I also keep a couple of pairs of light gloves ready for chains should I have to.
And a selection of cable ties and gaffer tape!!!
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Thinking much the same for the winter and thanks for great tips. Another for the battery, I've found that over a period of time the alarm system drains the battery - so now I just remove the alarm fuse - No 14 on a Golf Mk 4!!
Once in Switzerland in old TR4a it was so cold that we had to put an electric Hostess plate warmer under the sump for 4 hours to get the engine started.
Add a piece of stout plastic sheet to gaffer tape over a broken window - TR4a side window broke in Andermatt.
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Sat 22-10-11 18:24; edited 1 time in total
Get any chips in the windscreen repaired the temperature changes will likely crack it and then it is illegal to drive!
cran
cran Guest
RDSpearing wrote:
Get any chips in the windscreen repaired the temperature changes will likely crack it and then it is illegal to drive!
It will fail an MOT but I don't think it's illegal to drive with a cracked windscreen.
Last time I had a cracked windscreen (crack went right across the screen from top to bottom) the windscreen place told me it was ok to keep driving with it until I could get it to have it replaced at a convenient time (several weeks later) which I doubt they would do if it was illegal.
But yeah get any chips repaired, is free and takes about 5 mins...
Having driven to the Alps for a few years now, I haven't really changed anything 'car wise' apart from buying snow tyres and a good (long handled) brush.
Never needed chains, always use the handbrake and use regular Super U diesel, although I did have to light a little fire under the tank a few years ago....not.
On diesel, if you do use the 'mountain' stuff with additives, apparently you should change your diesel filter once a year (regular service probably won't) , I believe there should be a warning on the pump to that extent.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Hi all, really helpfull stuff. I was wondering if it was worth getting a car cover so i could brush the majority of snow off and then peel back the cover...?? No one has mentioned it so I thought I'd ask first.
Thanks
After all it is free
After all it is free
Libertine, nobody seems to use those covers. I suspect they'd stick to the car in places where it was wet, and then what would you do with an enormous wet thing? Also, if there was a lot of snow, it could be too heavy to "peel back the cover".
The other thing, which I hadn't thought of before having to deal for the first time with a heavily snowed-in car, alongside others - you have to put the snow somewhere. If you dump it all right in front of yours, you won't be able to drive it out - and if you dump it in front of the neighbouring cars, you might not be too popular! Also, there's already loads of snow in between the cars - sometimes (if you're lucky.....) too much to open the doors. I carried it, shovelful by shovelful, over the road and dumped it on the pile already shoved up by the snowplough.
So, where could you dump the enormous amount of snow on your plastic cover?
best thing is to park under cover - I found it quite a novelty the first few times I had to dig the car out, but the novelty wears off.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
), First aid kit, also legal requirement in some places.
