Top Tips For Winter Car Care
One of the worst times for things to go wrong when you are at the wheel is when you are driving to catch a flight! We are in the business of parking cars professionally and efficiently- whatever the weather. It’s our jobs to ensure a nice warm car is waiting for our customers when they return to Heathrow and exit the terminal after their flight- so we know the extra precautions needed when handling cars during winter to minimize disruption/ delay. A few simple checks can help ensure you don’t get caught out in the cold this winter. We’ve gathered some useful tips for you:
Check your car:
• Antifreeze – check coolant level regularly and, if required, top-up with a mixture of the correct type of antifreeze. Your garage should check concentration to ensure adequate cold temperature protection.
• Battery – the most common cause of winter breakdowns. A battery more than five years old may struggle in the cold – get it checked and replaced if necessary to avoid the inconvenience of an unplanned failure.
• Fuel – keep at least a quarter of a tank in case of unexpected delay.
• Lights – check and clean all lights regularly to make sure you can see and be seen clearly. Carry spare bulbs.
• Tyres – should have at least 3mm of tread for winter motoring. Consider winter tyres for improved safety. Check pressures at least every fortnight.
• Windscreen – reduce dazzle from the low sun by keeping the screen clean inside and out. Now is a good time to renew worn wiper blades.
• Screen wash – use a 50% mix of a good quality screen wash to reduce the chance of freezing in frosty weather.
• Locks and door seals – stop doors freezing shut with a thin coat of polish or Vaseline on rubber door seals. A squirt of water dispersant (WD-40) in locks will help stop them freezing.
Winter emergency kit:
• Blanket, rug or sleeping bag
• Shovel
• Bits of carpet or thick cardboard to place under driven wheels to help regain traction on ice or snow
• Salt, sand or cat litter – to help clear snow and ice
• Reflective jacket(s)
• Ice scraper and de-icer
• Torch and batteries
• Tow rope
• Snow chains (if you live in a remote or rural area)
• Battery jump leads
• Bottled water
• Snacks – chocolate or cereal bars
• Extra screen wash
Year-round essentials
• Fully-charged mobile phone and in-car charger
• Sunglasses – to deal with glare from the sun or snow
• Personal medication
• Warning triangle
• Spare bulbs
• First aid kit
• Road atlas – in case of diversions
• Sat-nav or printed route for unfamiliar journeys
• Breakdown membership card
Winter Airport Parking:
If you are planning a trip from Heathrow airport this winter, make sure you combine your flight with meet & greet parking from VIP to ensure your trip is even more enjoyable. With meet and greet parking you are met outside the Heathrow terminal by a VIP driver who then takes your car away to be securely parked in the off-site car-park which has Park Mark accreditation. This means no bus transfer is necessary. You go straight to check-in. On date of return, providing you follow the simple instructions in the booking paperwork, your car will be brought to you outside the terminal ready to drive home.
Choose a VIP full works vehicle valet starting from £22. This includes: 1. Vacuum & polish interior including windows. 2. Hand wash and polish outside of vehicle, wheels and windows. Click here for further details and exclusions http://www.vipheathrow.co.uk/index.php/our-services/full-works-valet-service
VIP offer three options of meet & greet parking so customers can choose the level of service dependent on their budget. FLEXI is the on-call option and is especially recommended for travel during busy periods such as Easter where Heathrow is expected to be even more frenetic than usual. Customers who book VIP FLEXI have priority customer status which means minimal waiting time regardless of whether their flight lands earlier or later than scheduled. VIP also offer a Budget service which starts from £47.95 for 7 days.
VIP even offers a loyalty scheme where customers are rewarded for every 3 bookings with a free gift of their choice* (terms apply). Visit www.vipheathrow.co.uk to find out more about VIP parking, prices and the loyalty scheme etc.
VIP provides quality, value for money meet and greet airport parking at Heathrow Terminal 1, Heathrow Terminal 2, Heathrow Terminal 3, Heathrow Terminal 4 and Heathrow Terminal 5. VIP provides meet & greet parking for Heathrow business and leisure travellers.
Sources:
https://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/seasonal/winter-checklist.html
http://www.vipheathrow.co.uk/index.php/our-services/heathrow-meet-and-greet-parking
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