On Mon, Jan 10, 2005 at 03:06:13PM -0600, Shahan, Ray wrote:
> John makes a good point that I forgot to mention:

Uhm, I think you meant Jay...

> Be sure that your car is in good mechanical condition!!!   Weak batteries,
> hard to start cars, etc. are greedily consumed by sub-zero temps!!  Also,
> a good set of all-season tires is an absolute (low profile performance
> tires do not perform in the snow...at all...period).

My car did start first crank at -15 F, but it wasn't its usual sprightly
self. I'll probably have to replace the battery next summer. The tires had
flat spots for the first mile or so, but the biggest grumbling noise was
that the belts were stiff and not turning freely. They didn't slip; they
just made noise. The power steering was stiff, too. No problems with
traction, but my nice mud & snow-rated tires will probably need replacing
after this winter, too, as they're getting marginal.

When I moved north, I asked a friend who was a tech rep for Mazda at the
time (he's now a district manager) if I needed to install a block heater. He
said they don't recommend it any more for cars that aren't going to Alaska
or the far north of Canada. Even so, I did see lots of cars in Merrill with
plugs hanging out of the grilles...

I should mention that not only do you need good tread on your tires, but on
your shoes, too. Leather-soled dress shoes or athletic shoes won't cut it.
Find something comfortable with some real texture to the soles.

You know, if I knew anything about MPE and friends, I'd go sign up for the
job - at least I'm prepared for it...

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