There’s already been a few days of chilly weather in the Tri-State area, which may mean that it’s a good time to consider preparing used cars in New Jersey for winter driving.

Owners of sport sedans or high-powered vehicles are likely to have a special set of grippy tires for summer driving, but those won’t provide good traction on snowy or ice-covered roads. It may make more sense for drivers to consider a set of snow tires, according to some mechanics at Meineke.

Even if the car is a daily driver, making sure that there’s enough tread to provide traction in inclement weather can help keep a car between the yellow and white lines during the winter months.

“To see if your tires need replacing, look at the grooves and make sure that the tires have not worn down to the tire wear bars,” Don Rauch, Meineke director of dealer communications. “These are ridges of rubber that run perpendicular to the grooves in your tires. If your tires are past this point, you should replace them.”

Another possibility to improve winter driving capabilities of used cars in New Jersey is to replace the windshield wiper blades, since they may otherwise be affected by road salt and other debris.