Open Today Sales: 9 AM-6 PM
Hours:
Open Today Sales: 9 AM-6 PMOpen Today Service: 8 AM-5:30 PMOpen Today Parts: 8 AM-5:30 PM
Location
A Long Island winter is less about deep snow than about cold: more than 70 freezing nights a year, salted and brined roads, and the occasional coastal flood on the South Shore. Preparing a Land Rover for it means a battery, tire and wiper check before the first freeze, and a plan for the salt.
Schedule winter service Snow tires or all-seasons?To prepare a Land Rover for a Long Island winter, have the battery load-tested, decide on winter or all-season tires before temperatures settle below 45°F, check tire pressure as it drops in the cold, replace worn wiper blades, fill the washer reservoir with fluid rated for freezing temperatures, and plan to rinse the underbody after every salted storm. Measurable snow on Long Island runs from November into April, with February the snowiest month at JFK.
NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the two airport stations that bracket Nassau County.
| Measure | JFK Airport | Islip MacArthur Airport |
|---|---|---|
| Average annual snowfall | 25.9 in | 31.8 in |
| Snowfall, December to February | 20.6 in | 24.2 in |
| Days a year with a low at or below freezing | 74 | 98 |
| Days a year with a high below freezing | 14 | 16 |
Freeport sits between the two stations. Whatever a given winter's snow total, more than 70 nights a year at or below freezing means cold-start battery strain, stiff tire rubber and refreezing slush on every road.
| Item | What to do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 12-volt battery | Have it load-tested before the first freeze | AAA says a battery loses about 35% of its strength at 32°F and up to 60% at 0°F, and most last three to five years |
| Tires | Choose winter or all-season tires and check tread depth | All-season rubber begins stiffening below 45°F |
| Tire pressure | Check monthly once it turns cold, with the tires cold | Pressure falls about 1 psi for every 10°F drop in temperature |
| Wiper blades | Replace if streaking or split | AAA recommends replacement every 6 to 12 months; freezing weather wears the rubber faster |
| Washer fluid | Fill with fluid rated for freezing temperatures | Summer fluid can freeze in the lines when you need it most |
| Underbody | Rinse after every salted storm | Road salt and liquid de-icers drive corrosion on brake lines and fasteners |
Routine items such as fluid and filter changes follow the intervals in our Land Rover scheduled maintenance guide, and alignment and tread checks are covered in our Land Rover tire and alignment guide.
The New York State Department of Transportation salts roads before storms so the salt forms a brine layer that keeps snow from bonding to the pavement, and it also uses liquid calcium chloride. That makes roads safer and makes the underside of a vehicle wetter with de-icer for longer, and AAA found that liquid de-icers are even more corrosive than rock salt.
Land Rover backs the body with a six-year, unlimited-mileage corrosion perforation warranty. It covers corrosion that perforates the body; surface corrosion from road salt or stone chips is excluded. Rinsing the underbody through the winter and touching up chips before the first storm handle that part, and an underbody look during a winter service visit catches anything rinsing misses.
Most current Land Rovers carry three systems worth learning before the first storm. Names and availability vary by model and trim, so check your handbook. Which Land Rover suits a Long Island winter best is covered in our best AWD luxury SUVs for Long Island winters.
Terrain Response
Adjusts throttle response, transmission and traction control for the surface. On several current models, snow is grouped with other low-grip surfaces under a single Grass/Gravel/Snow setting.
All Terrain Progress Control
Holds a set low speed by managing engine output and braking, so the driver can concentrate on steering on a slippery driveway or unplowed side street.
Low Traction Launch
Helps the vehicle pull away from a standstill on ice, wet grass or mud without wheelspin; on some models it is offered when Grass/Gravel/Snow is selected.
What none of them change
Every one of these works through the tires. Four-wheel drive helps a Land Rover go; only tire grip helps it stop and turn on ice.
A Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Discovery or air-suspension Defender is rated to wade up to 35.4 inches of water off-road. That figure is for controlled crossings, not flooded streets. The National Weather Service records widespread inundation south of Atlantic Avenue in Freeport during higher coastal flood tides, with roads impassable at Woodcleft Avenue and Front Street at higher water, and warns that 2 feet of rushing water can carry away SUVs and trucks.
Turn around rather than drive through a flooded street, and rinse the underbody after any saltwater splash.
Have the battery load-tested, choose winter or all-season tires before temperatures settle below 45°F, check tire pressure regularly in the cold, replace worn wiper blades, use washer fluid rated for freezing temperatures, and rinse the underbody after salted storms.
NOAA's 1991–2020 normals put average annual snowfall at 25.9 inches at JFK Airport and 31.8 inches at Islip MacArthur Airport, with most of it falling from December to February.
Yes. AAA says a battery loses about 35 percent of its strength at 32°F and up to 60 percent at 0°F, so a weak battery that starts the car in October can fail on the first cold morning.
Land Rover's six-year, unlimited-mileage corrosion perforation warranty covers corrosion that perforates the body. Surface corrosion from road salt or stone chips is excluded, which is why regular underbody rinsing matters in winter.
It should not. The 35.4-inch wading depth applies to controlled off-road crossings, and the National Weather Service warns that 2 feet of rushing water can carry away SUVs. Flooded streets also hide debris and saltwater that damages brakes and electrical systems.
Book a winter check before the first freeze, with tires, battery and wipers in one visit.
Schedule winter service Snow tires or all-seasons?Sources: NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 climate normals; AAA, cold-weather batteries; Michelin, seasonal tire types; NYSDOT, salting before a storm; AAA, road de-icers; Land Rover USA, winter driving; National Weather Service, Freeport coastal flood impacts; National Weather Service, Turn Around Don't Drown.