“The two busy times of year are when it’s really hot and really cold,” said Jessica Cochran, COO at Trinity Auto Care in Blaine.
Arctic air has brought extremely cold temps to the Twin Cities recently and this frigid weather can have a huge impact on your car or truck.
“Old cars, new cars, it really doesn’t matter,” Cochran said. “When it is this cold outside things are going to break. Any extreme temperature, whether it’s hot or cold is really, really hard on your vehicle systems. It’s hard on all of the systems. Starting and charging systems. It’s hard on the oiling system. It’s hard on the coolant or antifreeze system. The electrical system. It really is difficult on your vehicle – especially if it spends the night outside.”
On Monday there were plenty of vehicles being worked on inside the Trinity garage. Cochran and her team of mechanics know it is of paramount importance to keep your car or truck ready for winter.
“I would definitely make sure that your battery is in working order,” Cochran said. “If your vehicle is slow to start get it tested. It really is a safety item to make sure that your defrost works. Defrost is huge, as well as your wipers.”
Cochran’s goal at Trinity Auto Care is simple.
“My job is to keep the car running on the road,” Cochran said. “We don’t want it to break down.”
Cochran suggests everyone have water and a blanket in their car or truck in case the vehicle breaks down.
“Series of polar vortexes”
Meanwhile, on the U of M campus, Minnesota state climatologist Pete Boulay doled out some cold weather facts that explain why so many vehicles are struggling to run in these sub-zero temps.
“In the Twin Cities we did do one thing we haven’t done in seven years and that’s get down to 20 below zero, Boulay said. “Right in the heart of the metro 20 below zero. Once you get to Blaine in the northern suburbs, about 22, 23 below zero.”
This wicked cold has some wondering if Minnesota is in a polar vortex.
“Good question,” Boulay said. “Maybe a series of polar vortexes.”
Which has Boulay and most of us thinking spring.
“I’m looking forward to a thaw,” Boulay said. “Absolutely.”
Boulay says the coldest time of year in Minnesota is usually between mid-January and Valentines Day.
