Winter and snow driving essential

When you move to wintery place with mountains and snow, you realize that the driving game is going to have to change especially in a Ford Escort Wagon. You start thinking about what you might need to drive safely and how much that stuff will cost you. I am here to reveal the single most important item for driving in winter places, especially after the roads have been plowed, snowed and salted. That’s your only hint.

Your first thought when viewing those hills and mountains with snow on them is maybe I will need some of these:

Chains are good, but not an all-around options.

Your next thought is a even better and more costly one. It is very likely you will end up with these if you have a rear wheel drive vehicle with no four wheel option.

Studded snow tires, great, now you have to find a place to store your other tires for the rest of the year.

But even if you have all of the above this is the single most important thing to have in constant supply. You can’t drive without it especially on roads that are plowed, sanded, and salted (I know they don’t really use salt (NaCl), but it does melt the snow like salt). It is cheap and freely available at all gas stations, Wal-Mart, Napa, and other fine retailers.

Drumroll please….

Yes washer fluid. You have to see the road. Good windshield wipers help too. But you still have to have the blue stuff (or pink or green, make sure it won’t freeze either).

The tire pictures are from Les Schwab Tires who I would highly recommend if you live the Pacific Northwest. They have great service.