Winter Car Check: The Garage Owner's Guide to Seasonal Upselling

Why Winter Is the Busiest Season for Your Garage

When the temperature drops and the mornings get darker, your phone should be ringing more than any other time of year. Winter puts enormous strain on vehicles. Batteries that were barely hanging on through summer finally give up in the cold. Tyres that looked passable in dry weather become dangerously inadequate on wet and icy roads. Customers who ignored that warning light for months are suddenly worried about breaking down on a freezing motorway at night. For garage owners who are prepared, winter is not just busy season -- it is the single biggest revenue opportunity of the year.

The garages that thrive during winter are the ones that get proactive. Instead of waiting for breakdowns to roll through the door, they reach out to their customer base early, offer targeted seasonal packages, and make it easy for vehicle owners to book a winter health check before problems start. If you can position your garage as the one that keeps customers safe through winter, you will not just boost revenue in the short term -- you will build loyalty that lasts all year round.

Seasonal Fact

The RAC handles 30% more breakdowns in winter months, with battery failures, tyre issues, and cooling system problems topping the list.

The Ultimate Winter Service Checklist

Use this checklist to create a winter health check package your customers will love:

• Battery Health Test Cold weather is the number one battery killer. Offer free battery checks to get customers through the door. A quick conductance test takes minutes and often leads to a sale, either a new battery or a charging system repair. It is a low-effort way to generate trust and revenue.
• Tyre Condition and Pressure Check Tyre pressure drops in colder temperatures, and worn tread is far more dangerous on wet or icy surfaces. Check depth across all four tyres and the spare. This is an easy upsell when customers can see the measurements on a health check report.
• Antifreeze / Coolant Levels A coolant system that is low or has the wrong concentration can lead to a cracked engine block. Test the antifreeze strength with a refractometer and top up or flush as needed. Customers rarely think about this until it is too late.
• Brake Inspection Stopping distances increase significantly on wet and icy roads. Inspect disc thickness, pad wear, and brake fluid condition. If pads are borderline now, they will not last the winter, and customers appreciate being told before they find out the hard way.
• Windscreen Wipers and Washer Fluid Cracked wiper blades and empty washer reservoirs are an MOT failure waiting to happen, and a safety hazard in winter rain, sleet, and road spray. Swap worn blades for new ones and fill the reservoir with a winter-grade screenwash that will not freeze.
• Lighting Check (All Bulbs, Headlight Alignment) With shorter days and poor visibility, working lights are critical. Walk around the vehicle and check every bulb, including fog lights, number plate lights, and brake lights. A headlight alignment check is a quick add-on that customers genuinely value.
• Heating and Demister System A heater that blows cold or a demister that cannot clear the windscreen is more than an inconvenience -- it is a visibility issue. Check the heater matrix, blower motor, and cabin filter. A clogged pollen filter is a cheap replacement that makes a noticeable difference.
• Oil Level and Condition Engine oil thickens in cold weather, making it harder for the engine to turn over. Check the level and condition -- dark, gritty oil should be changed. If the customer is due a service anyway, bundle it into the winter check package for better value.

3 Ways to Maximise the Winter Rush

1. Send Seasonal Reminders to Your Customer Base

The most effective way to fill your diary before winter hits is to reach out to your existing customers. A simple email or SMS reminding them that winter is coming, and that you are offering a seasonal health check, can drive a wave of bookings before the cold weather even arrives. The key is timing -- send reminders in late October or early November, before your competitors do.

With Autopilot's client management system, you can filter your customer database and send targeted service reminders to everyone who has not been in recently. Set up a custom reminder specifically for winter checks, and let the system handle the follow-ups automatically. You will be surprised how many customers book in simply because you reminded them.

2. Offer Online Winter Check Bookings

Making it easy for customers to book is half the battle. If someone gets your winter check reminder at 9pm on a Sunday, they need to be able to book there and then, not wait until Monday morning to call. A dedicated online booking slot for winter health checks removes friction and captures bookings around the clock.

With Autopilot's online booking system, you can create a specific winter health check service with its own time slot, duration, and price. Share the booking link in your reminders, on social media, and on your website. Customers pick a slot that suits them, you get a confirmed booking in your diary, and nobody has to spend time on the phone.

3. Use Digital Health Checks for Upselling

This is where the real revenue opportunity lies. A winter health check is not just about the fixed-price package -- it is about identifying additional work that the customer genuinely needs. When you present findings on a professional, digital report with clear traffic-light colour coding, customers can see exactly what is green, amber, and red. There is no hard sell required. The report does the selling for you.

Autopilot's digital health check feature lets your technicians complete the inspection on a tablet or phone, marking each item as pass, advisory, or fail. The customer receives a branded PDF report they can view on any device. When they see three amber items and a red, they almost always approve the additional work. It is transparent, professional, and incredibly effective at increasing the average invoice value per visit.