Drivers Wait Until Last Minute To Winterize Cars

DENVER (CBS4)- Prolonged mild weather this fall has caused many drivers across Colorado to wait until the last minute to winterize their cars. With this week's blast of winter, mechanics are busy helping get those vehicles in shape for the bitter cold.

"Denver's the kind of place where it can be really nice for a whole winter but once in a while it gets really, really cold and people get scared and rush down to the shop," said Downing Street Garage mechanic Ben Burns.

Service shops are busy fitting in people for winter preparations. Some of the most common issues are bald tires, old batteries, windshield wipers and antifreeze. All are essential when the temperature drops to below freezing.

Mechanics are busy replacing bald tires and old batteries. Car batteries have a tendency to loose their charge in the cold. Engine oil also gets thicker.

"You're looking at transmission fluid, engine oil, so this time of year it's a good idea to let your car warm up a little bit, it's easier on the transmission," said Burns.

Burns said the car only needs to warm up for a few minutes to make a difference.

CBS4 caught up to one tire delivery vendor who spent the day rushing from shop to shop for drivers who got stuck in the snow because the tread had worn too low.

"Yesterday and today is very busy because of the weather," said tire vendor Francis Appih.

"We even see a lot of windows breaking because people try to roll them down when they're frozen. There's a wide variety of things wrong right now and the cold just kind of breaks cars," said Burns. "It's an extreme temperature."