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Oct 31, 2020

6 min. read

How to plan your next dream vacation or warm up a cold car.

We want to travel again. Is it safe to do so? If so, when should we start planning?

A lot of joy comes with planning a holiday—and there's no reason to not consider future travel plans today.

Most trips can be planned a year or more in advance. There are early booking bonuses and many tour operators offer more cancellation options, later final payment dates and refundable deposits. Airlines, hotels and transfer services have responded to the crisis and made changes to ensure proper sanitation.

If you want to travel sooner rather than later, a trip within Canada is your best bet. Canadian tour operators are offering safer tour experiences by reducing group sizes and promoting “bubble” styles of travel. And while there are many destinations to which Canadians can fly, many places have self-isolation guidelines in place. You may also be expected to isolate on your return home, so you might need to account for up to 28 days of isolation when travelling outside of Manitoba.

Planning your vacation with a travel professional has its advantages—now more than ever. Travel policies and rules continue to evolve. CAA’s relationships with suppliers and our access to resources ensure clients get what they want at a great value. We handle your bookings and are there for you should your travel plans change. Leave it to the pros to manage the stress and aggravation, and help you determine your travel insurance needs.

Woman with long blonde hair smiling at the camera, wearing a white lace top.

- Heather Karpiak, Senior Travel Consultant

Do I need to warm my car on cold winter days?

Years ago, we needed to warm up vehicles to get the air-fuel mixture right and keep a cold internal combustion engine running. When the engine was at rest, oil returned to the sump, leaving little lubrication on the moving parts.

But modern combustion engines have fuel injection and sensors to take care of that issue—meaning you likely don't need to warm it up as long.

It only takes two or three minutes to get oil flowing to coat moving parts. Once that happens, it's safe to drive the vehicle. To keep your car at its peak during winter, park it in a garage when possible. If parked outside, be sure to plug in the block heater when temperatures dip below -15 C.

While no one wants to sit in a cold car, running the engine isn't the best way to heat the interior. If you warm your car's engine for a few minutes and go, the engine will disperse much of its heat to your heater and warm the interior up within a few minutes.

Instead, consider a car with heated seats and a heated steering wheel. They'll get you warm and toasty in no time!

If you have a remote car starter, start the process from inside your home. Many cars and trucks are equipped with remote starters off the lot, but aftermarket systems are also available. (Diesel and electric vehicles have different requirements.)

Before installing a starter, be sure to check your warranty: An after-market model may negate your coverage.

A smiling man with stubble wearing a black polo shirt against a white background.

- Ed Franz, Supervisor, Automotive Tech Services

Having trouble getting started? Get Roadside Assistance.

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