The author touches upon all the basics. Checking fluid levels every time is overkill, once a month should be sufficient, watch for leaks on the pavement underneath in the meantime. Essentially, everything he suggested is accurate.
Agreed. I live in Canada. I've lived in Edmonton for 6 months, -30 - -45 every winter. Not maintaining your vehicle there can cost you your life.
Northern Maine has temperatures approaching that, I've seen -35F when snowmobiling up there. Most of the locals carry jumper cables and fuel de-icer in their vehicles. They let their cars/trucks run 20 minutes and longer before taking of in those temperatures. They start off slow to let the grease in the wheel bearings and u-joints warm up a bit before going full speed. You are absolutely bright, it can be a matter of life and death at those temperatures in remote or less traveled areas.
With low tension piston rings and the extended "life" of synthetic oil it is extremely common for modern vehicles to be ran low on oil.
The raw gas from direct injection helps replace that burnt oil that made it past the low tension rings and keep the oil level near the full mark. Ask Hyundai and Kia owners - and IIRC, some 2012-2014 Toyota's with direct injection. They had to replace their engines.
They actually have a new oil blend that is supposed to help prevent the oil burning/oil thinning from raw gas issue in direct injection engines- SAE 0W-16.
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