Now that the snow is already here, is there anything I should do to winterize my 96 Honda civic?
Fresh coolant/antifreeze.
Tuneup.
Winter tires (or good new all-season tires).
Have the battery tested.
Rubber-booted winter wipers (a major safety addition. Unbooted wipers can ice up in a storm and leave you completely blind).
Winter mix windshield washer fluid. And be sure to purge the summer mix.
Get all maintenance up to date and any needed repairs done.
Throw a hand scraper, a long-handeld acraper with snow brush, a small shovel, and a plastic container of dry sand in the truck.
Join AAA.
Get a cell phone.
Last but not least, throw a “blizzard bag” in the truck with sufficient suppies to enable you to stay in a hotel of the weather’s really bad. The best way to prevent a crash in a blizzard is to get off the road.
While I might disagree with a little of what "the same mountainbike suggested, That is the right idea. It is not necessary to really change anything on a modern car in generally good condition, except maybe winter tyres if you will be driving in snow.
I am old enough to remember putting antifreeze in your car for winter and just run water in the summer. Today that would be poor advice. However winter is hard on cars, so make sure your car is in good condition and I suggest winter tyres for most areas. Get the owner's manual out and see what it may suggest.I think a lot has to do with the climate. Where I am it’s already dropped to single digit temperatures at night, and a weak battery or overdue tuneup can ruin your day.
A “blizzard bag” can save your life. I keep one in my trunk, and I don’t hesitate to use it. Admittedly, I commute 31 miles, so it may be more essential for me than for the OP.
Your car comes winterized from the factory, you just need to follow the maintenance schedule to maintain it. If you haven’t done that, then good luck trying to get it done this week.
When venturing out in sparsely populated areas in winter I carry my Actic Survival clothing, which consists of a -55F parka with tunnel hood, special wind pants worn over your regular clothes, boots with thick insulation and 2" thick insulated soles, and arctic mitts. All this stuff sits in a large hockey bag in the back seat.
In addition all our leftover half candles in a coffee can with waterproof matches. Lots of granola bars.
Even if I run out of gas, this gear will keep me warm and alive for at least 4 days.
I carried all that stuff when I lived in North Dakota. That was before cell phones were invented, and unprepared people that broke down used to occasionally freeze to death. On some of the roads there it could be days before another vehicle came by and too many miles to the nearest building.
I bought the Arctic clothing when working in the Arctic; they won’t let you on the plane without it. Agree, cell phones are great, except in the remote mountains where the reception is poor or non-existent.
You bought my arctic clothing too. You and all the other taxpayers. And for that I offer my sincere thanks. It was USAF issue.
No, mine was actually issued by the oil company I worked for. It was blue with red reflecting stripes down the sleeves and the hood, so a search plane could spot you. I think the whole outfit cost close to $900 at that time.
The Eskimos thought it was neat, but other than the very high tech boots, the construction was similar to what their wives had made for centuries, except mine were not sealkin, but space age nylon and teflon.