With winter here and cold snaps featuring on the weather forecasts, it's probably time to prepare for frosty mornings and icy driveways, as temperatures begin to drop as the season takes hold. Every year we read about water pipes freezing solid and causing damage to homes and utilities, but there's another asset that you should never overlook when winter arrives: your car.

Not only can extremes of weather have a far greater impact on your car's natural wear and tear, but in some cases it can be costly to ignore a few basic precautions - and that's before you even get onto the icy roads. Here's some advice on how to look after your car this winter and protect it from the potentially damaging effects of the change in season.

First things first, on top of insurance you should consider investing in suitable breakdown cover so that when you're out on the road in winter, you can rest assured that help is at hand should you need it. For a fairly minimal investment, this will give you invaluable piece of mind should you break down on a cold winter's night.

Better yet, get your car serviced. You should do this once a year anyway, but it's particularly important that everything's in good working condition for winter.

Obviously the elements are going to have an impact on how your car starts in the morning, so consider how your car is parked each night. Park it in a garage if possible, as this will provide adequate shelter against potentially damaging frost build-up on the windscreen. If you don't have a garage, a car port can still be good protection.

If you do have to park your car in the street overnight, don't pour boiling hot water over the windscreen to remove ice in the morning. The sudden change in temperature could easily crack the glass. Also, don't ever leave the engine on to thaw the ice off the windscreen whilst you go get ready for work, as thieves have been taking advantage of this seasonal opportunity, dubbed ‘frosting'. Worse still, some insurance warranties will be invalidated if you leave the keys in the ignition.

Always remember to check the essentials like anti-freeze, the oil and tyres before any long journeys but, like your home, one of the best things you can do to protect your car is invest in some comprehensive car insurance. There are many reputable specialists out there, so it's worth shopping around for a good deal.

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