2/7/09

Rain-X Car Care Kit Giveaway

Monday was Groundhog Day in the US which gets everyone thinking about the weather. Will Spring ever get here? How much more snow and cold will we have to deal with? Will the mess and pain of dealing with winter roads ever go away? Well, we're about half-way through the winter, so we have a few more weeks of cold and possibly hazardous weather to deal with.

I'm so excited to tell you that I recently had the opportunity to interview Jody DeVere,
the President of the Women's Automotive Association International and CEO of the auto-advice site AskPatty.com, about winter driving and she passed on some great advice. Please note that items in parenthesis are my own additions.

1. What is the most important thing drivers can do to improve winter
driving safety?

"Ninety percent of all driving decisions are based on clear vision. I've teamed up with Rain-X to really raise awareness about the need to replace your windshield wipers. Groundhog day is a great mid-winter point reminder to take a look at your windshield wipers and if they are deteriorating or aren't completely clearing your field of vision to have them replaced. I use Rain-X wipers, they really do a great job. I really believe that Groundhog day should be marked on your calendar as the day you do your annual windshield wiper change."

"Reaction time can really be slowed when you don't have clear vision through your windshield. At 60 MPH, one second equates to 100 feet and can make the difference to whether you have an accident or not."

2. How often do you suggest changing your wiper blades and why?

"Definitely once a year, but during the heavy winter months, you should be doing a walk-around of your vehicle to check your wiper blades and tire pressure (which can change as air temperature changes) to make sure it is at the recommended amount for your vehicle. The panel inside the driver door (and the side of your tire) will tell you the pressure (PSI) for your particular vehicle. You also want to check the tire tread and make sure there are no worn spots. Those are the only 4 spots that touch the road and you want to make sure you're getting traction especially during ice and rain."

3. Do you have any other tips for us to prepare our cars for winter
weather?

"Keep a well-stocked safety preparedness tool kit in your trunk: blanket, first-aid kit, snacks, bottled water, a good quality ice scraper, flashlight and extra batteries, flares and kitty litter. The kitty litter can be used if you are pulled off the road, which is often icy, to put behind each tire and that will give you a little traction and prevent the back-end of your vehicle from sliding out into oncoming traffic."


Some additional things Jody recommends are:

~Use Rain-X Window Treatment to help the rain, snow, ice and road spray sheet right off your windshield.

~ Use synthetic motor oil is actually better in cold weather as it is less likely to break down and become gummy in the extreme cold temperatures many of us have been dealing with.

~Keep your gas tank at least half-full during extremely cold weather. The cold can cause condensation to form in your tank and lines which will freeze and cause your vehicle to not start, to stall and have other problems.

~For more information visit rainx.com and askpatty.com.


The Giveaway

As part of the Rain-X awareness campaign, you can win a Rain-X Car Care Kit, (pictured above) which includes:
  • A pair of Rain-X Latitude Wiper Blades for your particular vehicle!

  • A bottle of Rain-X Weatherbeater 2-in-1 Glass Cleaner + Rain Repellent!

  • A Bottle of New Rain-X X-treme Clean which renews glass and plastic!

You'll be all set for safer winter driving!!!


How to Enter

Simply leave a comment with your email address letting me know if you've ever used Rain-X or not on this post by midnight on Friday, February 13. One winner will be randomly drawn from comments received and will be contacted via email and announced in a separate post on this blog before noon on Saturday, February 14th.


The Fine Print

Any comments deemed by me to be rude, crude or spam will be removed. Play nice, please and GOOD LUCK!

11 comments:

Simply Stacie said...

No I haven't tried it yet, but I'd like to.

stacie_vaughan@hotmail.com

Danielle said...

To be honest, my husband does all the car stuff, so I'm not sure if he has used Rain X before. I don't think so but I know he would love for me to win it!
thanks for the giveaway!
yellyjohnsen@yahoo.com

Stephanie Appleton said...

I think Tim has used this before, but it has been a very long time!

Anonymous said...

Here I go again.Maybe i will win this time!Mom

Steph said...

I have tried the Rain X products and they are fantastic! Thanks for the chance to win!

ms0812@zoominternet.net

Anonymous said...

I have never used Rain X

Anonymous said...

Iixoye.ews@comcast.net

Anonymous said...

Alan likes these a lot. Thanks!!

safox at zoominternet dot net

Anonymous said...

I haven't tried the blades, but I like rain-x for traveling.


fran

lessiter at zoominternet dot net

Unknown said...

I have never used RainX before.

Ann On and On... said...

That is the best stuff. We drive across the US twice a year and it is an asset to our experience. I'll have my fingers crossed.