5 Great Winter Car Accessories That Make Life Easier in Canada
5 Great Winter Car Accessories That Make Life Easier in Canada
Posted on November 4, 2022
Few people know winter like Canadians know winter. There aren’t many inhabited places in the world that gets colder, snowier and more challenging once the temperature drops.
While we are mostly used to the cold and take pride in our ability to cope with it, there are a few simple car accessories that could make winter much more bearable.
Remote engine start
Remote engine start is an optional extra on many vehicles. While it may seem like an unnecessary option, once you get to winter that opinion changes. The ability to hold the key fob to the window or through the garage door and have the car start to warm up while you get coffee is invaluable.
Remote engine start can be an option at purchase but you can also have it retrofitted to some vehicles. If you’re fed up of sitting in the cold while the engine warms up, you need this.
Folding snow shovel
If you head out of the city in winter, you may need one of these. Regional governments are well practiced at keeping roads clear but anything can happen in winter. For the sake of a few dollars and a tiny bit of trunk space, a folding snow shovel is money well spent.
My grandfather had a saying that I adopted myself. ‘It’s better to have something and not need it than need it and not have it’. That’s true for the humble snow shovel.
Ice scraper and ice removal spray
Most people I know keep a plastic ice scraper in the glove box and some also have a can of ice removal spray in there too. These are two accessories I keep in my glovebox all year round and I would suggest you do the same. Or keep them under the seat, in a seat pocket or somewhere else.
Some cars have heated front screens while others don’t have that luxury. Either way, don’t bet your journey on something that could break. For less than $10, you could ensure you have good visibility whatever the weather throws at you.
Phone charger
Some newer cars are beginning to feature wireless phone chargers but in the meantime, keep a phone charger with you at all times. There’s nothing worse that trying to call for recovery and realizing you’re almost out of battery. For the sake of a couple of dollars, keep a phone charger with you.
Warm clothes or a blanket
I have a winter go bag that I keep in the trunk all winter. It has a space blanket still in its packet, a spare pair of gloves and a woollen hat, a cotton base layer and a pair of women’s tights to put under whatever I might be wearing at the time.
It’s not the most elegant attire but it could literally save my life in the even of a breakdown. It’s simple, cheap and could make that wait for a tow a lot more bearable!