Batteries are the number-one winter failure. Cold cuts a battery's available power roughly in half, and a battery that starts fine in October can leave you stranded on the first single-digit morning. If yours is more than three or four years old, have it load-tested before winter, not after.
Coolant does double duty in winter: it's what keeps the engine block from freezing and cracking. Check that the mix is correct for New England temperatures, and check for soft hoses and weeping clamps while you're there. A coolant leak in July is an inconvenience. In January it's a tow.
Belts get brittle in the cold and are more likely to snap on a freezing start. Wiper blades should be replaced before the first storm, and washer fluid should be rated for below-zero temperatures, because summer fluid freezes on the windshield the moment you need it most.
Tires and brakes round out the list. Check tread depth and pressure, which drops as temperatures fall, and have the brake pads measured. All of this fits in a single preventive maintenance visit at your driveway, which is a lot easier than finding out one item at a time on the side of Route 1.