After -10, you just die faster

[BlackBart]

Barrow (Utqiagvik)! That's pure survival out there!

One thing we really like about our '04 XC is that it blows heat right away, almost surprising. Our old Audi A4 heater would blow ice cold air on you full blast for 15 minutes, it sucked. We always turned the blower off. Maybe a thermostat or a coolant burp issue - never could get that thing burped correctly.

The last few days I've watched the temp gauge and the car is already blowing heat, but the temp gauge is at maybe 1/3, taking it's time getting to straight up with air coming through the radiator. Main thing I've noticed is the transmission saying, Nuh uh, not yet!

But now it's up to 22F and dumping dry snow!

[SOURDOUGHJIM]

Something else that's helpful, park the car facing south. When the snow/freezing rain is over, scrape the windshield and let the sun help thaw the car. Especially if you think the doors might freeze shut.

[Blacklab467]

Good point about parking south, I really appreciate the black paint this time of year also. In Ultra cold weather (-32 C/F ) I find it best to start the car and don't touch anything inside for about 15 minutes, full heat and fan medium speed. A properly installed windshield will not break due to heat differential. Remove all the snow from both the windshield AND hood area because when you introduce windchill factor at these temperatures the defrost will not keep up if snow is blowing on a hot windshield at freeway speeds. I use a factory Volvo block heater and an oil pan heater, I think there are benefits to each but the oil pan heater is probably doing the engine more good by keeping the oil fluid, reducing wear and emissions. The block heater heats a larger volume of media but none of that heat warms the oil in the sump.
I have found Bosch ICON's to be the best wiper in all seasons. I haven't given much thought to loading up the alternator to create engine heat but it sounds like a good idea, Ive warmed up the car with both seat heaters, rear defog, fog lights on and side mirror heaters and the fan motor on full without consequence but would suggest that you avoid frequent short trips with everything on to avoid battery depletion when its very cold.
Be gentle with plastic parts like door handles and interior parts, they can shatter like glass when it gets really cold. On a sidenote, I lubed up my original heater fan bearings in the spring and am happy to report that it is still silent, even in extreme temperatures like we've had lately........after 7 years of listening to it whine!

[abscate]

I’m sitting pretty on my deck in 50F courtesy of the giant heat sink called the Long Islamd Sound

[BlackBart]

80 in Baltimore yesterday (?!?)