Taking on winter’s destructive forces

Bri Brasher
NLJ Correspondent
 
Winter life in Wyoming can wreak havoc on our modes of transportation, especially our vehicles when traveling in snowy and icy conditions. Add wildlife to the mix, and repairs are almost sure to be needed at some point. Even so, Newcastle’s auto industry is here to help with tips to prevent winter from taking its toll and repair services to get you back on the road.  
Garrett Borton, owner of Renegade Paint and Pipes, was happy to discuss auto needs that seem to be specific to the winter months. 
With notoriously slicker roads, Borton said, deer hits — as well as coyote, antelope, elk and even jackrabbits — increase quite a bit in the winter. Borton said that most of the repairs he sees are from deer hits. Surprisingly enough, he said, he hasn’t seen much of an increase in vehicle-to-vehicle collisions requiring repairs, which he said seem to stay the same pretty much year-round. 
Renegade Paint and Pipes is a full-service body shop that takes care of collision and customization needs, glass replacement and body shop-related services, according to Borton. The shop works with insurance companies on repairs, he said. 
Borton’s business also offers a full-service exhaust shop, aluminum welding, industrial sandblasting and exterior body paint. The business is PPG-paint certified, he said. 
Morgan Stearns, the shop service manager at Voelker’s Auto Body and Glass, agreed that deer-related accidents seem to be the kind the shop sees most often.
“The deer (accidents) follows the rut. You know they’re just not thinking real straight and usually getting hit on the road,” Stearns said. 
Voelker’s services car batteries and heating elements more often in the winter months, Stearns said. Lately, the shop also has been servicing vehicles in need of front-end alignments, brake services and service for transfer cases, he said. 
Carquest Auto Parts-Wyoming Automotive owner Terry Rich said he also notices battery sales going up in the winter, along with oil and filters and other miscellaneous items and services. Josh Reiniger, owner of NAPA Auto Parts said his business too sees an uptick in battery sales during the winter months, along with wiper replacement because of the snow.
“We sell more wipers in the winter when it snows, same as in the summer with rain,” Reiniger said. 
Troy Cade, owner of Outlaw Motors, also shared his views about the winter months and car repairs, as well as tips to keep the effects of the cold to a minimum. Cade said the main seasonal repair he sees is battery replacements, after drivers find out they have a weak battery when it gets really cold and cars won’t start. 
“As soon as weather gets cold, a lot of batteries are weak and that’s when they show their biggest weakness is when it gets cold out,” said Cade. 
Cade also warned drivers to make sure vehicles are equipped with tires that have good traction and tread for winter. He said that drivers should make sure the tires are not overinflated, because they will have less traction. 
Cade’s winter checklist includes checking batteries, belts and hoses, coolant level, fuel filters and wipers. He also suggests keeping a cell phone charger and other survival items in vehicles in case the driver gets stranded. Cade said Outlaw Motors will check vehicles to make sure they are ready for the season and all that winter travel entails. 
“(In the fall) people will drop stuff off and have you check things out for winter time,” said Cade. “People come for winter and before a trip.”