General advice needed-Cold weather road trip

[EXCEEDENGINEERING]

Guys,

Planning a cold weather road trip over xmas to Slovakia,with temps dropping to an estimated -20c.

apart from obvious antifreeze and tyres etc have any of you experienced problems related to the cold weather which could give me a heads up of what to take or prepare before i go.

Thanks

 

[udtrev]

It would be worth getting the cables controlling the gearbox regreased if you have the 6 speed box.

There have been instances of the cables freezing (including mine)


Trev

 

[cardinalbiggles]

Go into Lidl and buy the screen wash they have at the moment, its the stuff that does down to -60. Used it up here in Scotland 2 years ago when we had -20 temperatures and it never froze in the nozzles (or on the screen)

 

[PROV]

Yes should be fine. We had 2 winters here with temps around -16C and it was fine.....with the winters on it was sensational...

 

[Davren]

Don't park the car with the handbrake on unless absolutely necessary. My cables froze in northern Germany one year. Had to lie under the car in the snow with a borrowed blow torch for an hour to thaw them before I could release the handbrake.

If you don't have remote central locking, carry some lock de-icer. In your pocket, not inside the car. Alternatively carry a cigarette lighter to heat the key to help thaw frozen locks.

 

[carlorff]

Check your battery if the car will be standing outside for prolonged periods of time. Mine had issues last year when the car was five years old and it was the first battery.We had some really cold weather it was below -20C for more than a month,and my car was parked outside, and covered by snow daily due to strong wind. Never use handbrake in winter. If you park on the hill with nose up put the car in first gear and turn the wheels to the opposite direction,the car will not move unless you have bad clutch or ice under tyres.In such case even handbrake wouldn't help. If you park with nose down everything is the same except you have to put it in reverse. Just in case put something under the last wheels like a wooden triangle. If you do not know the roads will be plowed take a small hand shovel as they can be a life saver, and snow chains.If you own a Diesel make sure you wait for the pre-heat light to turn off before starting the car.

 

[Ziggy122]

You can get battery jackets - some vauxhalls have them - so i cant see why there isn't one or the material for a fiat's

it just help repel the cold off the battery - could help when starting

Anti-freeze will probably need changing, as what we have over in the UK aint probably gonna hold up since we mix 50/50
So ensure thats upto the correct grade

Oil - UK we thicker oil because its warmer
In cold - oil goes more viscous - so maybe consider the thinner oil grade

Ziggy

 

[colin79666]

Winter Tyres - an absolute must.
Perhaps take a spare set of wiper blades in case the rubber splits on the current ones.
Anti freeze and screen wash as above.

 

[neilshep]

Warm underpants, you don't want to suffer from Chilly W***y

 

[RobW]

white grease all the locks and hinges

clean and silicone spray the door seals

plus everything above

 

[dave]

plane ticket
train ticket

 

[EXCEEDENGINEERING]

Warm underpants, you don't want to suffer from Chilly W***y

its ok i have a passenger for that !!

 

[EXCEEDENGINEERING]

good advice guys,

can anyone recommend some Fiat approved suitable oil for cold weather,in UK there can be warranty issues if oil is not Fiat approved (trust me i had it when turbo went,they tried to say it was due to non fiat spec oil being used !!!)

 

[carlorff]

I do not know, I always use Selenia, the one that they use at the garage. No problems so far.Ps I always keep a spare set of warm boots and clothes in the winter with some cookies in my car,just in case. If I wrote what else I have you guys would think I am crazy.

 

[Andysan]

May be stating the obvious here, but I find that you need screenwash that works down to about 5x the stated temps. For example, when the weather was really bad a year or two ago (about minus 5) I have screenwash that was suited to about minus twenty and it was useless.

Mobil 1 do some pricey stuff that works down to about minus 60 - its about 5x the cost of the competition but I wouldn't not carry a bottle with me now.

Bon voyage!