Getting your Volvo ready for winter: what a mechanic checks

Winter is the toughest season on a car, and most winter breakdowns are preventable. A battery load test gives the most honest picture, since cold sharply cuts a battery's capacity — one that worked fine in spring can simply let you down in winter. Just as important are the condition of the brakes, lights and wiper blades, along with the coolant's freeze point and the washer fluid's winter concentration.

Tyres are best changed before, not after, the first snow — tread depth and rubber condition strongly affect stopping distance. The same visit is a good time to check rust-prone spots on the underbody, where winter's salty slush does the most damage.

All of this can be done in a single visit, and most of it doesn't take long. It's cheaper than being stranded by a sudden breakdown in winter.