Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and while that means family dinners and delicious turkey for many people in the country, for you and your fleet of vehicles it means it’s time to get ready for winter.

Your business depends on your fleet of vehicles being ready to go this winter, regardless of what Mother Nature can throw at them. The time is now to get started on winterizing your vehicles so you don’t get caught off-guard when it counts.

Waxing
If you’re managing a limo service, you know how important it is for your vehicles to look just as good as they run. Unfortunately, winter is a season when snow, slush, salt and sand all pose threats to your cars’ exterior detailing and paint.

You may not be able to prevent driving on salt-saturated roads, but you can mitigate the impact these chemicals have on your cars’ finish by preemptively applying a coat of wax. Pay extra attention to the lower half of your cars, including the wheel wells and lower fender, as these are the areas that will see the most exposure to these wintertime stain culprits.

Make sure you outfit your cars with the right tires for the weather.

Tires
You already know that snow tires are essential for getting through a winter safely. The question is, at what point should you swap out your all-weather radials for a set of tires specifically designed to deal with cold and snow?

There’s no hard-and-fast answer, as it will depend on where you live and what the climate is like. You may think you’re being clever by just keeping your snow tires on year-round, but avoid that urge. These types of tires are made from a softer rubber that allows them better traction in snow, but it also means that they can wear down much faster driving on asphalt. Keep an eye on the weather reports, and try to get your tires swapped out before the first major snow. Otherwise, you’ll have to deal with long waits at the mechanic’s.

Gas
Sure, nobody wants to get stuck on the side of the road in a snowstorm because of an empty gas tank. But there’s an even more compelling reason to keep that needle on your dashboard up. According to U.S. News & World Report, driving with a gas tank less than half-full can result in condensation forming in the tank. This can worsen the performance of your engine, making it less efficient and costing you more in fuel costs.

[subscribe2]