Staying revved up despite cold

Drivers are doing all they can to keep their cars and trucks up and running despite the cold.

For those heading out to work early in the morning, starting up that vehicle can be a pain.     

But experts, like Jeff Jacobsen of Jeff's Automotive Service and Repair in Grand Junction say there are some great ways you can make your car less likely to break down in this winter chill.    

He says one of the first things to do is to make sure the battery is in good shape.
That, according to Jacobsen, is one of the first things affected by cold, but there are other steps you can take to make the frigid weather a little less harsh on the inner-workings you find under the hood.

"Antifreeze protection is important to check," Jacobsen explains, "and what that is is the level at which the antifreeze will protect... your engine from freezing and causing cracked blocks, cracked heads, and so forth."

Jacobsen says antifreeze is typically good to around -40ºF, but gradually loses it's effectiveness over time.

He says antifreeze will be effective for five years or 100-thousand miles in newer vehicles, but should be changed more frequently in older ones.

He reminds anyone taking to the roads in the harsh cold to be prepared with emergency items, such as blankets, jumper cables, and extra water in case they become stranded.