If you own a car it is extremely important that you prepare your car for the winter, though how much you winterize your car can depend on your car and where you live and travel. Someone who owns a convertible in a sunny area like San Diego will have to do the most basic of winterizing, if any. If you live somewhere that does not experience a lot of harsh winter weather, it is a good idea to go over your car and make sure all of the fluids are in check before the weather changes, if it does at all. Make sure you have extra bottles of oil, antifreeze, etc., and any necessary emergency kits in your trunk.

On the other hand, someone who owns a two-wheel drive car and lives in the mountains will have to seriously think about what they have to do to prepare their car for snowy and icy roads. If you live somewhere that gets a lot of snow in the winter it is a good idea to consider what you need to do to be prepared to drive through a blizzard, wind storm, or on an icy road.

If you have a two wheel drive car and you need to drive though harsh winter storms and on icy roads it is a good idea to replace your tires with good winter tires. They may cost more, but if your car is not a four-wheel drive vehicle a good set of winter tires can be worth the extra investment. They will provide better traction in wet driving conditions and they have some shallow tread so moisture can escape the tire easily. Some snow tires have studs in them so they have better grip and traction on packed ice and snow, but since they can damage clear roads you should check if they are legal in your area if you are interested in them for your car.

It may be a good idea for you to also look at tire chains so you can have them if necessary. Tire chains, or snow chains, are required by law to be on tires in certain areas when driving on the freeways in the winter, so if you travel often year round it is a very good idea to keep a set of tire chains in your trunk. You cannot expect a lot of speed or better gas mileage with snow chains but they are a great form of car insurance and can be necessary to keeping you and your car as safe as possible in winter weather. It is also a good idea to keep a good winter emergency kit in your trunk so you can stay warm if your car breaks down or if an accident or collision occurs.