Enterprise has a wide variety of automotive service shops and a couple of parts stores and just about as wide a variety of recommendations for motorists on preparing their vehicles for the coming winter.

Of the town’s two filling stations, only one – Texaco – does repair and service work.

“We’re the friendliest in town,” Chevron attendant Mark Baughn said with a grin. “But we don’t do automotive work.”

Tim Testerman, owner/operator of the Enterprise Texaco station, recommends motorists driving diesel-fueled vehicles have the diesel filters changed and get fuel additives for diesel since it is prone to gel in cold temperatures.

He also recommended checking the antifreeze on all vehicles and had a couple more unique suggestions.

“It’s deer season so you might want a grill guard,” he said, adding that an LED light bar also can be a help for visibility now that we have fewer daylight hours.

Enterprise has two auto parts stores that also had recommendations.

NAPA, operated by the father-and-son team of Kent and Chris Lozier, also urged fuel additives and filter changes for diesel-fueled vehicles.

For all vehicles, they offer wiper blades, windshield washer de-icer, ice scrapers and brushes, frost guards for windshields and a variety of headlights and other lights.

“Wipers are not made to go forever,” Kent Lozier said. “They need to be replaced.”

In addition to making sure a battery is strong, Chris Lozier recommended motorists regularly start vehicles that may not be run regularly and letting them run awhile to keep the battery strong.

“If a car is going to be parked a long time, start it every once in a while,” he said.

Customer Roger McGee spoke highly of his experience with the Enterprise NAPA.

“They always have what I need,” he said.

Enterprise Auto Parts, owned by Norton Welding of Lostine, also offers a full array of parts and supplies motorists need to winterize their vehicles.

Bill Tilton, manager of the store, said his top recommendation is making sure a vehicle has the right amount and type of antifreeze needed for extra-cold weather. He also recommended diesel fuel additives for diesel vehicles.

But where the rubber meets the road is one of Tilton’s big concerns. Although the store doesn’t sell tires, there are other options.

“In this country, you’ve got to make sure you have traction devices such as tire chains and tow straps,” he said, which his store carries.

He also recommended windshield wipers, de-icing washer fluid and batteries.

Enterprise’s Les Schwab Tire Center is the largest tire dealer in Wallowa County and has an almost nonstop business this time of year.

“An ounce of prevention goes a long way,” manager Darren Holcomb says.

He recommends motorists check the tread depth and type to make sure it’s suitable for a Wallowa County winter. He also urged drivers to have their tire pressure checked, since cold weather can make it go down.

Drivers who may be traveling over the holidays also should be aware of what is required for travel over the mountain passes that lead into or out of the county. Sometimes chains, studs or snow-rated tires are required.

He said studs became legal in Oregon on Nov. 1, but that more people are going without studs.

“We see a lot more people doing studless tires because of new tire designs,” he said.

Holcomb said his shop is now offering winter specials on tires that he expects to run into December.

As for Enterprise’s numerous auto repair shops, both dealerships – Main Street Motors and Milligan Motors – have their recommendations for vehicle winterization.

David Perry, parts manager at Main Street Motors, said his top recommendation is checking antifreeze levels for both quantity and to ensure it will keep an engine from freezing during the depth of winter.

He also recommended having a car’s battery load tested to ensure it can handle extreme cold.

Other recommendations Perry had included an oil and filter change and making sure windshield washer fluid has de-icer in it.

Dan Niezen, parts manager at Milligan Motors, largely agreed with Perry that antifreeze protection is the top priority.

“Temperatures can drop pretty significantly,” he said.

It’s not just to keep an engine from freezing – and thus cracking the block, he said.

“If your coolant’s low, the heater and defroster don’t work right,” Niezen said.

He also recommended checking wiper blades, tires and brakes, things that should be checked any time of year.

“Pretty much everything has to be functioning properly,” he said. “It’s just that the winter months are so much more unforgiving.”

Niezen said Milligan’s isn’t offering any winterization specials.

“We give a deal every day of the year,” he said.

Roger Curtis, owner/operator of Mountain Auto Repair, agreed that antifreeze is the No. 1 priority to check, along with tires, but he also had one many people don’t associate with winterization: changing the air filter.

“People don’t think about that in the winter,” he said.

Across Golf Course Road from Mountain Auto Repair, Hickory Sheds also recommends checking antifreeze as No. 1.

Nick Januzzi, who operates Hickory Sheds with his father, D.J. Januzzi, emphasized checking tires, batteries and wipers, too. He said anything purchased from the shop will be installed free of charge.

Specializing more in off-road vehicles, Outlaw Motor Sports has similar suggestions to those for on-road vehicles. But many off-road vehicles are stored for the winter.

Technician J.R. Masters agreed antifreeze protection is tops.

“The main thing is coolant,” he said. “You don’t want it to freeze.”

He also recommended fuel treatments both for 2-cycle and 4-cycle engines and recommended draining the fuel tank for an engine that will not be used in winter.

“If you’re going to put something away for the winter, the ethanol in fuel will corrode parts and seals,” Masters said.

Enterprise Auto Parts

601 S River St, Enterprise 541-426-0961

Enterprise Texaco

207 S. River St., Enterprise 541-263-1234

Hickory Sheds

703 Golf Course Road, Enterprise, 541-426-0711

Les Schwab Tire Center

802 NW 1st St., Enterprise 541-426-3139

Main Street Motors

311 W. Main St., Enterprise, 541-426-2100

Milligan Motors Chevrolet Service

202 E. North St, Enterprise, 541-263-5265

Mountain Auto Repair

708 Golf Course Road, Enterprise, 541-263-1991

NAPA Auto Parts

106 SW 2nd St, Enterprise 426-3181

Outlaw Motor Sports

504 NW 1st St., Enterprise, 541-426-3491