It's been a few years since we've had a suffer through such a determined winter, and it's only just begun.

In such extreme weather, how we treat our vehicle is a direct reflection of how our vehicle will treat us back.

Ryan Jago, owner and manager at the High River Canadian Tire, who has seen a lot of action in the automotive department over the last month, says there are steps to stay ahead of the chill.

"Old, traditional habits keep new modern vehicles running in the winter time. Making sure you have a working extension cord, even these modern vehicles, if you've got that block heater cord running, you'll find you will save the life of your battery considerably."

He says that having winter tires is almost crucial in these temperatures.

"The difference between an all season tire, and a winter tire is pretty staggering, in fact I recommend them to just about everybody. It's cold, windy, icy conditions that we now face, and it makes winter tires almost a necessity."