The average January temperature where I live is 48° but we get two or three snowfalls a year that can be as much as a foot deep. Either way, not worth changing tires. Just drive what you have.

With my resources of $0 and no free time but plenty of tools and know-how?

"wind shield is deforested."

Duh, That's the whole point!

Most people that have 4wd don't realize that it really only means one front wheel and one rear wheel and if you lose traction on one of each, you aren't going anywhere. I've had many frustrating conversations with people who don't understand the concept of open differentials, much less limited slip or locking…

Never mind that for many people in the southern states, you'd spend longer mounting/dismounting the tires than you would actually driving with them in the snow. It's hard to justify that expense for no more than ten random, nonconcurrent days each year.

There's a major point you're missing though. Pizza cutter tires are great if there is a bottom to be found or at least reached. Wide tires are better if you have just a little powder or deep stuff where the bottom is deeper than the height of the undercarriage. Narrow tires won't help if your vehicle sits 6" off…

Driving skill makes 75% of the difference, Tires (as long as they aren't bald) 20%, and vehicle type 5%. I can say this because I own all of the following and have driven all of them in various snow and ice: Subaru Outback, G37S RWD, Chevy Silverado Z71, Jeep Cherokee lifed, etc with mud tires and front and rear…

The ones I've seen did have a ratcheting mechanism so to speak. They had four angled teeth that engaged the handle such that you could only turn the engine over the correct direction and once it fired off the crank handle was pushed forward and more or less ratcheted. You simply removed the handle once running and…

Yes, my dad had an old Ford courier pickup with those vents way back in the day.

No way. Never mind that they were a needlessly complex element that almost always broke, but antennas on cars are completely obsolete now. My car and my wife's car have no antennae whatsoever and they're much more smooth and streamlined as a result, and far better looking.

This. I love having the voltage, temp, and oil pressure gauges in my truck and Jeep. After dealing with a lifter tick I was immensely grateful for the gauge as I was watching it constantly. I really wish my car had voltage and oil pressure gauges. In fact, I'd like to have all sorts of diagnostic gauges: Trans…

This is a great article. Please keep these up, Steve.

I read that wrong. Forgetting to leave their keys in the car. Yes, I can see that as being a problem.

"There's nothing free about a free dog" - my Dad. Even if you take in a stray and skip the adoption fee you still have to pay for vet bills and food.

So true. My wife and kids use the heck out of the library. Why buy a book when most people only read it once? And with kids, while they want to read it 50 times they do eventually tire of it.

Short of springing for performance and payment bonds from your contractor you can't really protect yourself much from this situation. Lien releases from subs/suppliers is a great start, though.

I drive three cars, only one of which has a proximity key. I've never misplaced it. My keyring goes in my pocket in the morning and comes out in the evening. No issues at all. It's a much bigger hassle to have to dig into my pocket to pull out my keys when I get in a car where I actually have to put the key in the…

If people are leaving their keys in their car, they're doing it wrong.

I doubt the wireless integration of music is terribly distracting.