Quick Checklists for Preparing Your Car, RV or Boat for Winter

Winter hasn't raised its icy head yet, but the calendar never lies and we're inching closer to those shorter days and cooler nights. Now is the time to get ready, starting with how you get around, namely, your car, boat and RV.

Car Preparation:

1. You may have the right tires for where you live but what about the right tires for where you might be traveling? Particularly if you think you might be heading to colder climates for a holiday or to make sure you have the tires you'll need for driving in more harsh winter conditions.
2. Checking tire pressure and tread wear is a good idea any time of the year, something you may want to look at at least monthly, but tread and inflation are particularly important with the onset of winter. Cooler temperatures still affect tire pressure and wet, icy and snow covered roads make stopping and turning under control a much dicier proposition on worn tires.
3. Just as with tire inspection, you should check fluid levels for power steering, brakes, oil, coolant and washer fluid. More extreme cold weather may require a different oil viscosity and nothing can dirty a windshield like driving on slushy roads.
4. Be sure to check your battery power to make sure you have enough juice for cold starts.

RV Preparation:

Maybe you'll be using your RV right through the winter. If so, then the car preparation checklist applies equally to your RV. But what if you plan to put your RV away for the winter?

1. Drain your fresh water holding tank and open all water faucets.
2. Flush your 'gray' water holding tanks and lubricate any valves.
3. Drain the water heater (but make sure it is not hot or under pressure).

You can have someone take care of this for you, but if you choose to winterize your RV yourself, you can find a more detailed checklist here.

Boat Preparation:

1. Remove and store all gear and equipment from your boat.
2. Give the hull and everything inside a good thorough wash.
3. Get a fuel stabilizer, add it your engine fuel, and run the engine to avoid varnish build up.
4. Use an aerosol fog solution to protect the inside of the engine.
5. If applicable to your boat's engine, drain the water so it doesn't freeze and cause cracking.
6. Do one last oil change.

A little maintenance will have you ready sooner for next spring's boating season, and more importantly, it will help you avoid major repair costs.