Your car has had it easy all summer-  moderate temperatures, dry roads, long days.  With the temperature falling in the northeast and snow piling up, your car is now really earning its keep transporting you and your stuff across cold, dark, salty, icy roads.  Let's start with the most important item to consider: Tires.

Why? Often overlooked, but there's a reason "where the rubber meets the road" is a saying for something that is crucially important.  The tires are what make your vehicle move, turn and stop.  They are the most critical safety and performance component of your car, and are worth some thought and investment. 

What kind?  The best tire by far for the winter is a winter tire, whose compound remains soft and therefore sticky in low temperatures, and whose tread pattern better sheds snow and grips ice.  Owning a separate set of summer and winter tires mounted on separate rims is a steep initial investment, but one that should pay for itself if you keep your car more than a few years. Failing that method, you should have all-season tires, whose compound and pattern strike a balance between cold and warm weather competency but really excel at neither. 

How old? And either way, make sure you have at least 4/32 inch depth to your tires- the old standard of 2/32 inch is just not enough for safe stopping and turning.

Where to buy?  Shop around.  Your dealer is most likely not the best source for tires for your vehicle, but you can give them a chance by calling for a quote. I generally research my choices on The Tire Rack and Consumer Reports , and either purchase from a local independent retailer or The Tire Rack, and have the local install for me.  Another good source for info is Nokian Tyres - the Finns know snow.

What else? As the temperature drops, so will the air pressure in your tires.  (Remember pV=nRT?)  Don't forget to check the air pressure regularly with a dial gauge (more accurate than the "stick" kind and far more accurate than the one at the gas station air pump) and don't forget to check your spare as well!

#2- Glass

Why? This is a simple one and as often overlooked as tires.  In order to go safely, you have to be able to see.

What to get?  Wipers.  Rain-X or similar product. Washer fluid. Scraper and brush.

Wipers- Replace your wiper blades at least twice/year.  They wear out based on exposure, not on amount used.  Purchase rubber-coated winter blades less likely to freeze up in an ice or snow storm.  Many local auto parts stores will install them for you.  In most cases you do not need to purchase these from a dealer.

Rain-X- I start by cleaning my windshield and the rest of the glass outside and in.  An amazing amount of residue builds up inside a windshield relatively quickly, and obscures vision, especially in winter’s low-angled light.  Then I apply Rain-X or a similar substitute on all the windows according to directions, in two coats.  This helps clear water while driving, most importantly from side and rear windows where visibility is important but there are no wipers.  A tip I learned from my uncle, a longtime Concord Trailways bus driver: Rain-X also makes frost removal a whole lot easier! (Buses have large, hard to reach windshields.)

Scraper & brush- Make sure you have a scraper and brush in your car (and a pair of gloves for while you use them, while you’re at it).  And use them!  Driving around with one little 2” hole for visibility is not good for safety.

Washer fluid-  As far as I can tell from over a million miles of driving, all washer fluid behaves pretty much the same.  The only bad kind is the empty kind on a salty road.  Blue or pink, buy the cheap stuff and just check it regularly throughout the winter.

What else?  Cracks and chips are more likely to spread in the extreme temperature variations of winter.  Consider having a professional shop fill and repair cracks and chips, or replace the windshield if necessary.

3- Lights

Periodically grab a helper and make sure all your lights and signals are working.  Replace any burned-out bulbs.  Whenever you stop for gas and clean your windows, clean the headlights, signals, marker and tail lights as well.  A clean headlight or taillight can be seen from much farther away than a dirty one.

4. Battery & engine

Battery-   Cold weather means less battery power.  Clean corrosion off your terminals with a mixture of water and baking soda.  When that is dried off, smear the terminals with petroleum jelly to ward off corrosion.  If your engine cranks slowly, have your battery tested.  If it’s over three years old, most likely it’ll need to be replaced.   Less likely is a problem with the alternator, which charges the battery.

Engine- The usual preventative measures- inspect the belts and hoses for cracks and bulges.  Make sure your fluids are topped off.  Listen for unusual noises.  Oil changes are even more important in the winter- the right viscosity (thickness) oil will remain thin enough to protect your engine at the seriously cold temperatures we experience in New Hampshire.  Your mechanic can recommend the right oil; for most cars 5W30 is the new standard for both cold and hot weather protection.

Try not to let your car sit with a nearly empty tank.  The air in the tank contains moisture which can condense out and later freeze in your gas lines.  Try to keep it at least half full. Periodically (couple times a winter) add a can of dry gas to remove any water in the gas. 

5- Safety kit

Shovel

Snow brush and scraper

Warm hat, gloves, fleece, old raincoat

Jumper cables

Flashlight (check batteries periodically)

General first aid kit

Basic tools- adjustable wrench, screwdrivers, duct tape

Emergency tire sealant (“Fix a Flat” or similar)

Food (couple granola bars or energy bars)

I usually keep water in the car but in the winter this needs to be a daily thing or you’ll be keeping a block of ice in your car.

6- Winter Driver Training  No athlete expects to win the Olympics without practicing, and just about any skill requires honing to attain and perfect.  Knowing what to do and doing it in an emergency is a lot easier when you have the muscle memory from having done it before.  I recommend the following for new drivers or anyone looking to brush up on winter driving skills. (and have a little fun)

Where?  Find a large, empty, snow-covered area like an unused parking lot.  This may not be easy depending on where you live.  Make sure you’re not trespassing or endangering anyone.

What?  In general, for safe winter driving you want to keep everything slow and steady.  Most importantly, you want to reduce speed and leave lots of room between you and the car ahead of you.  Lots.  In addition, smoothness is very important.  Sudden gas, brake, or steering can initiate slides.

• Braking- practice stopping in as short a distance as possible
  • ABS-If the car has anti-lock braking, get up to about 20mph and practice stomping the pedal hard to the floor and leaving it there until the car is stopped.  Add in steering at the same time.  Many people back off the pedal when it vibrates from the ABS.  Don’t.
  • Without ABS, practice “threshold braking”.  From about 20mph, brake hard.  When the wheels lock and the car starts sliding, release the brake pedal just enough to allow the wheel to roll.  This restores your ability to steer, while slowing the car as fast as possible. This is far more difficult to do well than ABS braking, and crucial to winter driving safety. 
• Cornering- practice breaking the car loose and regaining control.  Some cars tend to understeer; some tend to oversteer; all cars are capable of either.
  • Understeer- At about 20mph, turn the wheel until the car slides.  If when you turn the wheel the car suddenly goes straighter than you expected the car is understeering.  The cure is to unwind the steering wheel a little bit until you have regained grip.  If you are accelerating or braking at the time, you will let off slightly on the gas or brake as well. The front tires are trying to accelerate or brake, and turn, all at the same time.  You want to lessen those forces to regain traction.
  • Oversteer- Again turn until the car slides.  If the car turns more than you expected (the rear of the car steps out), you are oversteering.  Turn the wheel in the direction of the slide (back from where you initiated the turn) until you regain traction.  Be ready to steer back in the opposite direction, in case you overdo the first correction.  Get this one right and you’ll be hooked for life- it’s actually quite fun.