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This year, as you make your Christmas list, don’t forget to include your best friend.  No, I’m not talking about your dog, I’m talking about your other best friend, your car (or van, or SUV, whatever your vehicle of choice). 

I plan on treating my new van to some floor mats and seat covers.  But there are also all kinds of great gadgets.

I also bought one of those heated electric scrapers.  They are great for melting the ice off your windows so I am told. 

You know what I would love to get for my car?  A rear-view camera.  I never know how much space I have behind me when I back up and a camera would really help me get out of those tight spaces without having to constantly get out of my vehicle to check.

If your vehicle doesn’t already have a navigation system or a remote starter then perhaps one of these would make a great gift.

Or how about a gift certificate for rust proofing? 

What about a gift basket?  You could include all kinds of neat things; a first aid kit, blind spot mirrors, some Armarol maybe.

So what do you plan on buying your vehicle for Christmas?  Let me know if you have any good gift ideas or if there is a car accessory that you find to be invaluable.

Well it’s that time of the year again. The time of year when you are faced with making an important safety decision. Should you or shouldn’t you …get winter tires?

No doubt they are an added expense. Even if you already own them there is the hassle of getting to the shop to have your tires changed.

So are winter tires really worth it? Are they important? Do they really make that much of a difference?

The answer from all the experts seems to be a resounding YES.

According to a 2005 Ministry of Transportation study; in winter driving conditions, a proper winter tire requires a 25 per cent shorter braking distance than an all-season radial and can improve collision avoidance by about 38 per cent. Research by both Transport Canada and the Automobile Protection Association also back these findings.

Other studies have tested road adherence. The vehicles that were equipped with winter tires had no trouble staying on track, whereas those with all season radials often ended up off the track, even at speeds of only 40 to 50 kilometers per hour.

Why is this the case?  Well for one thing winter tires have deeper tread grooves than all season radials so they provide much better traction on snow, ice and wet roads. Also, the tires’ compounds differ. With all season radials the handling and braking capabilities decrease in cold weather, but winter tires are specifically designed for the cold and snow.

Should you wait for the first snow fall before putting on your winter tires? No. Winter tires are designed to perform in temperatures below 7 degrees Celsius so the best thing to do is to make sure you have them on by Halloween and take them off when the warmer weather arrives, usually sometime in late April.

The answer to the question “should you get winter tires?” now seems obvious. They are an investment in safety and peace of mind.

Tell us your experiences with, or without, winter tires. Click on ‘Comment on this blog’ below and give 680News your two cents.