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Recommendations for winter car equipment?

SAC69

SAC69

Active Member
Donator
My daughter is taking a car to Annapolis, Maryand soon. I've never lived in snow before and don't really know what to send her off with to help in the winter months. She'll normally have use of the car on the weekends and it will often just sit during the week, not garaged. It snows there but only to a depth of 6" or so since they are near the water. (Last year there was a monster storm but that was highly unusual.)

On the list already are:
jumper cables
flares
tire air gauge
ice scraper for w/s with integrated brush to remove snow from the car
can of fix-a-flat
longer-handled lug wrench

Does she need some WD40?
Anti-freeze for washer fluid?

Any suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks.
 
VISA
Cell Phone
Number for cab companies

How knowledgeable is she of working on a car? Lug wrench, fix-a-flat and the such might not be used without phone supervision. My daughter could do oil changes, brakes, flats, minor tune ups and such but when it stopped running or would not start......call Daddy and try to avoid broken finger nails. lol

Also, what type and condition of a car is she driving?
 
Annapolis is right on the water, and if and when a significant snow fall occurs, the best thing to do is not drive. Trust me on this for the greater DC metro area, which includes Annapolis. The snow will be off the streets or melted in 2-3 days, and anyone can survive for that length of time without a car.

Front wheel drive, a scraper, and a shovel should be all you need.
 
Definitely advise her to use windshield washer fluid or some other additive for the washer, not just water.

They also make a special spray you can use on the windshield if you come out and everything's frozen/frosty. She can spray that on, clean it off, and go. No need to wait for the defroster to melt everything off near the wiper blades. On a related note, they make lock de-icer, which can come in handy if the lock gets frozen. (May not be too much of an issue now, with remote locking.)

I used to keep chemical hand warmers in the toolbox/safety kit in the car. If she ever gets stuck for a period of time, this can stave off the cold.

She might want to invest in some of those heavy-duty floor mats to collect slush and water. You can definitely get a lot of that out there.

BTW, what kind of SUV did she wind up getting?
 
"Sacbill" said:
BTW, what kind of SUV did she wind up getting?
Click to expand...

She ended up with a '03 Toyota Highlander, 4WD.

Thanks for everyone's tips so far.
 
Just starting on snow remember to stress slowing down early, ww fluid that has antifreeze in it, (not the green bug juice) , large snow brush to get snow off windshield and the hood also (snow blowing off the hood is a P.A.I.)good gloves,boots, have her try to practice away from traffic a while, snow/ice driving is different for sure---the "take a cab" is prob best advice, also remember cars can't be parked on the streets after a snow or they might get towed in some areas.
 
Tom,
A lot of good info here and I'll repeat a lot of it....simply 'cause I don't want to go back through everything. I went to school with a lot of snowfall and some hideous weather. Here are some recommendations. Again, a lot have been mentioned.

-Credit card
-AAA (family gold is only $98/year and is VERY useful)
-List of phone numbers including police and car knowledgeble people
-Fix a flat--emergency use only and warn tech when replacing tire
-Tire plug kit
-Basic tool kit for things such as battery replacement
-Jumper cables and portable power pack
-De-icer in washer fluid
-Scraper
-Extra bottle of washer fluid
-Small shovel
-Bag of salt during snow
-blanket (can be used for keeping warm, laying on ground, or keeping dirt off the carpet)
-tarp
-flashlight, preferably with blinking option
-hand warmers, gloves, hat, poncho
-small air compressor that plugs into cigarette lighter, these usually have blinking light options (you can find portable power packs with a compressor, lights, and auxillary jacks all in one)
-tow rope or chain

If I think of something else I'll let you know.
 
"Flysure1" said:
large snow brush to get snow off windshield and the hood also (snow blowing off the hood is a P.A.I.)
Click to expand...

+1 on this. You absolutely have to get the snow off the front end, hood, and roof. If not, then it just blows all over the windows and blocks vision
 
"Sacbill" said:
+1 on this. You absolutely have to get the snow off the front end, hood, and roof. If not, then it just blows all over the windows and blocks vision
Click to expand...

Ever seen a sheet of ice that exactly resembles your hood lift up and fly over your car? That's what happens when you don't remove it and the heat from the engine loosens it. Pure pucker factor.
 
Since I do not know the young lady in question .......... I am not saying anything negative here but how much of the things mentioned will/can she use or will it be used by someone she knows that can do the job. Also, how far from the civilized world is she driving on the weekends? Reality....I was born and raised in Iowa.......I find that loading up a vehicle with items that the owner cannot use may lead to problems.

I just was on a Focus forum where a guy was helping a friend and jumped his car. Ended up with the cables reversed and burnt up a system of the jumpees car....no info on if the jumped car was ok the next day. The good guy hooked the cables up backwards....even with all the sparks they still tried to start the car.

A lot of good items, just use common sense in loading her down.
 
"AzPete" said:
Since I do not know the young lady in question .......... I am not saying anything negative here but how much of the things mentioned will/can she use or will it be used by someone she knows that can do the job.

A lot of good items, just use common sense in loading her down.
Click to expand...

Good point. Most (me) are just merely pointing out suggestions. I personally carry a lot of crap and most of it has been used to help other people avoid a tow charge. The average Joe wouldn't go that far with their supplies. I will say that changing out a battery in the middle of an ice storm with no coat absolutely sucks. But I'm cheap and stubborn. Dang....my wife was right all along.
 
Get a good battery with the highest cold cranking amps that will fit.
Rain X sells a winter blend of washer fluid that works well.
Good all season tires
Good windshield scraper/brush
Container of kitty litter or rock salt. Lots of times you need a little extra grip when stuck....
Keep an extra set of gloves in the car.
 
Thanks for the great information and suggestions. My daughter is fairly resourceful and capable and we'll also be going over basic vehicle maintanence (checking the oil, tires, etc.) too.
 
She needs to learn how to handle the vehicle in icy conditions. Somehow, somewhere, get her some experience. Maybe Thunderhill can provide the training?
 
Is she going to school at the Academy?

Good tires and a nice set of windsheild wipers would be my two recommendations. AAA membership probably would not hurt also!
 
The winshield de-icer fluid in the reservoir is REALLY nice to have, but I believe the best advice thus far is from Mid. If you're not accustomed to driving in snow/ice you're better off just sitting it out until you absolutely HAVE TO drive somewhere. Snow and ice on the roads + an inexperienced driver..... surrounded by other inexperienced drivers usually results in a quick accident.
 
"daveSanborn" said:
The winshield de-icer fluid in the reservoir is REALLY nice to have, but I believe the best advice thus far is from Mid. If you're not accustomed to driving in snow/ice you're better off just sitting it out until you absolutely HAVE TO drive somewhere. Snow and ice on the roads + an inexperienced driver..... surrounded by other inexperienced drivers usually results in a quick accident.
Click to expand...

Not only that, but many bad drivers think you can still go 55 on the highway in a 4WD SUV. (It might be obvious to you, but she may not realize it doesn't work that way.)
 
"daveSanborn" said:
The winshield de-icer fluid in the reservoir is REALLY nice to have, but I believe the best advice thus far is from Mid. If you're not accustomed to driving in snow/ice you're better off just sitting it out until you absolutely HAVE TO drive somewhere. Snow and ice on the roads + an inexperienced driver..... surrounded by other inexperienced drivers usually results in a quick accident.
Click to expand...

+1

We were all 18 once, and 18 year olds, although more experienced than 16 year olds, don't drive near as well as they think they do.

I was in the DC area this past Jan/Feb when we got a bunch of snow in a RX300 (Lexus version of the Highlander). It handle the snow great, just be sure the tires are good for wet/snow. The roads were mostly plowed, but occassionally I'd hit slush or snow say pulling into a gas station, or on the highway were they just plowed one lane, but in the process pushed snow/slush into another lane. If traffic is doing 55 on the clear lane, and you are beside them, you might think it ok to do 55 too. Then you hit a patch of slush in your lane and find yourself going sideways.

Again, concur with Mid's advice as being the best advice for her, the rest is merely packing for the emergency situation where she can't hold tight for a couple days and has to be on the roads.
 
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