If you live in a very hot or cold climate, a remote starter can make your life a whole lot easier. It allows you to start your car from a few hundred feet away, and even from inside your house. Many car alarm systems come equipped with a remote starter feature.

Here’s how it works: when you park your car, leave the heater on full blast (or in the summer, the air conditioning) and lock your doors. About five minutes before you’re ready to drive again, hit the “start” button on the special key fob that came with the remote starter. If it’s parked in a garage, you’ll want to open the garage door to let the exhaust fumes escape. Let the car run long enough to reach a comfortable interior temperature, then go out, use your keyless entry key fob to unlock the door, get in, and drive away in comfort.