It's indisputable that vehicles require periodic maintenance round the year to stay in trouble-free condition. But when the mercury starts dipping, your car needs that extra care to overcome the harsh weather and hazardous road conditions. Cold weather will have direct impact on your car which impedes its performance making it a bit sluggish.

Champion Toyota, the prime dealer of new Toyota cars in Norwich, is happy to announce that the technicians at their well-equipped service center are always at your service to help you prepare your car for the harsh winter. You can also get original Toyota parts and accessories from Charles Toyota's automotive accessory store.

So plan ahead and don't let your car 'succumb' to the extreme winter conditions. Spruce up your car to battle the cold weather better by taking the following 'anti-winter' measures.

Check the Battery:

When the temperature drops, so does the battery power of your car. So do a load-test and ensure that it's strong enough and has optimum cranking power to start in cold conditions. Check the fluid level and top it off with distilled water. Check for any loose cables and adequately remove corrosion to facilitate energy transfer.

Go for winter tires:

Don't use your car as your ski board! The summer or all-season tires may not provide adequate grip to ride safely on snow or ice. Opt for winter tires which have snow-friendly tread patterns that offer better grip. Also, keep tires inflated at the air pressure recommended by the manufacturer and rotate tires at specified intervals.

Check the Oil level:

Check the oil level and filter at regular intervals and switch to lighter oil that gets circulated easily. The cold weather will make oil thick and it's highly recommended to use suitable winter motor oil that provides optimum oil flow at low temperatures. Any oil brand with a "W" (which stands for "winter") in the name is suitable. Common formulas include 5W-20, 5W-30, and 10W-30.

Check the Cooling System:

The cooling system consists of radiator, thermostat, pump, heater and a bunch of hoses that helps your car to keep running at normal operating temperatures. Check the fluid level and anti-freezer/water ratio in the radiator. The radiator should have 50/50 mixture of anti-freezer and water. The anti-freezer prevents your car from freezing which otherwise would over heat your car resulting in cracked hoses and damaged pumps. It's highly recommended to flush the cooling system every other year.

Maintain Visibility:

Ensure that your ice-repelling wiper blades are in good condition. Also check whether the headlights, tail lights and turn lights work properly. Replace the burned-out bulbs immediately. Clean the snow and ice from the light for better visibility which also help other motorists to see you. Keep the windshield washer reservoir filled with solution that has an antifreeze agent added.

Login to http://www.championcars.com/parts-service/service-appointment.jsp and submit the form that represents your desired date and time for an appointment and Charles Toyota's Service Appointment Coordinator will contact you promptly to confirm the availability of your request. You can also visit http://www.championcars.com/parts-service/order-parts.jsp and submit the Toyota part order form and the Parts Professional of the Norwich Toyota dealer will contact you promptly.

Summer break is almost over and you will be back to the chimes of school bell in a week's time. An air of thrill and anxiety about the forthcoming academic year is palpable everywhere and everybody is eager to meet their friends to discuss the fun they had during the summer break.

Things are pretty much cool for those of driving age, who spruce up to flaunt the new car that they would buy with the summer job savings. There's great news for those who fall in this group as Toyota Matrix has been ranked among the top 10 Best Back to School Cars by Autotropolis. The versatile and sporty Matrix with low MSRP that starts at $16,550 is a perfect choice to vroom around the campus. Champion Toyota, the leading Toyota dealer in Philadelphia has this student-friendly model at its showroom. Take a look at the 2010 Toyota Matrix review on the dealer's website before heading for the Philadelphia Toyota dealer.

Spun off the Corolla platform, the stylish five-door compact wagon/hatchback embodies practicality, performance and great fuel economy at a low price. The 2010 Toyota Matrix comes in base, S and XRS trim levels. A standard 132-hp 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine powers the base front-wheel-drive Matrix. A five-speed manual gearbox is standard, while a four-speed automatic is available. The S and XRS trims come with a larger 2.4-liter engine that delivers 158 horsepower. The engine can be paired with either a five-speed manual or automatic gearbox which delivers 32 mpg on the highway. Order the 2010 Toyota Matrix today itself from the Matrix dealer at Champion Toyota in Philadelphia which also has a wide inventory of auto parts where you can find Toyota matrix parts at cheaper rates.