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OK, this is going to sound really dumb, but here goes: How do I stop my car from freezing? I am going to be in Lake Louise in late December. If I park outside, won't this do something to my car when the temperature drops? I will be renting a car in Vancouver - will it have anti-freeze etc, or is there something that you 'natives' do up there? Thanks Ian (in Australia)

Ian.....no such thing as a dumb question...I wouldn't worry about the car freezing. December isn't really that cold and all cars you rent will have antifreeze. Enjoy Lake Louise. Rob

Here's a little more detail, but the bottom line is you do not have to worry. The metal, leather, and cloth parts of the car do not care how cold it is. By December, car rental agencies and smart people who live in Alberta have put in winter grade oil, which is thinner, and therefore does not thicken to sludge as much as summer weight oil. And the oil does not freeze at any temperatur you might expect to get. So when it's time to start the engine, the pistons are not held back by cold, sludgy, sticky oil. Batteries lose power in the cold, but for the teperatures you can expect, the heavy duty batteries in Canadian car rental cars (all Canadian cars, for that matter) will give you enough power to start, probably. More on probably in a minute. Within the engine cooling system, there's antifreeze that's good for 5o below zero, in your choice of F degrees or C degrees. Canadian gasoline stations sell special windshield wsher fluid that has antiifreeze in it, so that's no problem, and your car will be full of antifreeze anyway. Lake Louise can be very cold in late December.I used to live in Calgary, and was in lake Louise several dozen times in winter over the years. it can get to 40 below in lake Louise in late December, but that's very unlikely. When the temperature gets very low, be careful about draining the battery while starting the car. Leave the lights, radio and the fan off if it's really cold, say minus 20 C, so that the battry power can be used to get the car going, Once the car's running, the battery and electrical system in a new rental car will be fine. You may find the car seems bumpy when you first start to drive it in the cold. That's because the tires may have set themselves with a flat patch that won't flex until they warm up. Not exactly frozen, but similar. After a few hundred turns, they'll be fine and the bumps will disappear. The best way to treat the car when starting it from complete cold is to drive it slowly as it warms up, so that the oil in the transmission, etc., gets a chance to move and warm by friction at the same time as the engine. On theother hand, letting the car warm up while stopped and you are inside where it is warm means the heater will make the car comfortable. If you do this, make sure you lock the car so it does not get stolen, and you do not lock your keys in the car, so you can't get in yourself. (second set of keys needed, obviously, or a car with separate door and ignition keys) Snow is pretty slippery; ice is very slippery, so slow down, and always keep an eye inyour rear view mirror when stopping, in case some dunce starts sliding into you. In winter in Canada on snow, always leave lots of room between you and the car in front, so that you've got maneuvering room if someone starts sliding towards you. Take the extra insurance in Canada in the winter. But don't worry, you'll have a fine time. Lake Louise is one of the great spots of the world. BAK

Further to the above. Notwithstanmding my attempt to reassure you, cold does make it hard to start a car. You'll find an electical cord sticking out the front of your rental car. This is to plug the car into an electic outlet when you park it. Honest. If you can find a parking spot with an outlet, use it. But chances are this will be hard to find in the parking lots at the hotels in Lake Louise. Make sure you go into Calgary; it's worth the bvisit, and you may find outlets at your hotel there. Finally, when you park, make sure you turn your lights off, and back into your parking spot, so that the nose of your car is toward the driveway, street, road, etc. This makes it easy for another car or truck to park by the engine of your car, connect cables to your battery, and give your car a "boost" in Canadian car-talk, if your battery gets too weak. BAK

Thanks Rob and Brian - invaluable advice - I would never have thought to park the car back in! And lumpy tyres, no way! Appreciate the hints. Ian

I second the idea about an extra set of car keys. In Calgary, several years ago we stopped at a Wal Mart, and had an extra set made. This past summer, we stopped at a hardware store in Canmore for the service. I asked the proprietor what he would have done had I not had Canadian money. He assured me that he readily accepted US money --- at par value!! We had a good laugh over that one. As for "square" tires, the problem is unavoidable in sub zero F temperatures. Just don't think your tires are ruined. Also springs and shocks are less pliant in extreme cold, so the ride may be a little jouncy for a few miles until things warm up. And, yes, look for those car plugs so you can plug your car in. I don't recall seeing any at those mammoth parking lots near Lake Louise.

Good advice! I do these things too. Believe me, having the extra key is essential. When I start my car I run the defrost on a medium fan speed and also turn on the air conditioning. (Rear defrost is one of the best inventions ever.) Then I get out and spray a bit of Prestone windshield de-icer on my windshield. Get back in the car, run the wipers about three times to get the de-icer distributed. At this point I either stay in the car or go back in the house, depending on the temp. After a bit of defrosting, I turn up the fan speed. Then later I switch to defrost/heat. This is also about the time to shut off the AC. When the windshield, front windows and rear window are frost-free, I switch over to heat only (fan speed varies). I live close to work, so this all happens pretty quickly -- unless the temps are really unmercifully cold (which Lake Louise might be).