Hello All,
I am new to this board and have a couple of questions about my 97k A/T 1996 850 GLT. I have just started grad school in Syracuse, NY and last year the temperatures got to around negative 20 (with the windchill) some days. Last winter also saw 200 inches of snow, so this place is pretty diesel. I bought my 850 in April in Pennsylvania, and before then it was a Florida car, so I don't think it has ever been through a winter like the one that it is about to go through in a few months. Is there anything I need to do to it to get it ready? Flush the radiator and put in a more potent anti-freeze mix perhaps? Should I change any other fluids? (Windshield washer, at least?) I was talking to someone else in the program who has a 95 850 and said that she was just going to "take it to the dealer and tell them to do whatever they need to to get it ready" but I see that as a blank check to them. If you guys could help me out, it would be much appreciated.

Oh, and the check engine light came on about 500 miles ago, after I used some injector cleaner (it had a clogged injector) but I've been too afraid to take it to the dealer (no money) and it runs fine. Any ideas? Should I take it to the dealer anyway? The SERVICE light comes on too, but I just chalk that up to changing my own oil and not resetting it.

Okay, one last question: as I near the 100k mark, is there any suggested maintenance I should perform? Perhaps (since winter's coming) I could knock out some maintenance and get it ready for the cold and turn off the lights all at once.

I'm sorry to throw all these questions out at once, but I've been kind of letting them pile up while life goes on. I feel like I've been living on borrowed time with my car, as I perform the usual oil/belt/hose changes and it keeps on running fine. I feel either really lucky, or like something expensive is about to happen. Thanks!