Let's face it, It's going to get cold this weekend. Forecasters are expecting a fast and furious return of the Arctic polar vortex starting as early as Thursday evening and the TV guys are losing their minds promising us a cold apocalypse like nothing anyone has ever seen.

Just so we're clear, when we get in to single digits or below zero, there's no point in bothering.... It's just plain too cold.

a screenshot of the local forecast in Amarillo
a screenshot of the local forecast in Amarillo
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Now as bad as the temperatures may seem, what exactly does this mean for our cars? Well, for starters, let's just say they will hold up just fine; but there are a few things you might want to consider.

1. Your Tires

Now is a good time to check the air pressure in your tires. Cold usually causes a drop in air pressure and while it might be tempting to think that your traction may improve, it could actually lead to tire wear and nobody wants to deal with a blowout when its cold.

2. Your Gas Tank

There's some good news here, Gas doesn't freeze until you get to Siberia level cold (-100 below zero) but on the flipside, any water vapor in the tank could freeze up and that could cause issues with your fuel pump. It's best to have a close-to-full tank to keep this from happening.

3. Wipers

Yes, we all have made this mistake where we instinctively go for the wipers to get rid of ice, only to find them dancing like a figure skater over the glass. It's not a bad idea to have a spare set as there is a possibility the wiper rubber will fall apart due to the cold

4. Antifreeze

Exactly what you think. If you haven't had this looked at in a while, this could make the difference in your block freezing or not and that could be costly. Luckily your friendly oil change tech can check this as well.

5. The Entertainment/Climate Control Screen

That infotainment screen on your dash--or anything with an LCD--might get a little sluggish due to the crystals in the display freezing up. Don't worry once things warm up, they should return to normal. But avoid touching the screen to keep damage to a minimum, might not be a bad idea to set your heater on the night before.

(BONUS) Your Car Itself

Now is a good time to remind you that leaving your car running in the morning with the keys in is a great invite to car thieves... if you don't have a remote start its not worth it. (and believe it or not it's actually against the law in Texas to leave your car running and unattended). Also, its a good practice but don't forget to give your hood a tap when you first walk up to scare any critters that seek shelter.

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