Cars

What's the best way to start my car in winter?

It doesn't matter whether you're a man or a machine: If you have a circulatory system, it's going to take extra energy to get your juices flowing when the mercury dips.

For cars, that means taking special are of the battery. Replace it if it's more than four years old, and when nighttime temperatures drop below 14 F, store it indoors. Very cold batteries produce almost no power, and they won't send enough energy to the starter motor when you turn the key. If all else fails, warm the oil with an electric dipstick, or warm the engine with an engine block heater ($14 to $50 at most auto-parts stores).

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