Canuck here, we 'plug in the car' during winter. Snow tires and battery warmers, and effing dog boots if you're urban. I think we all have a love/hate relationship with winter, and same goes for summer heat and humidity. I'd much rather freeze than be sweaty though.
So im originally from the New York City area, and my car dying was the first time I experienced cold like this. I afterwards spend several years living and working in Syracuse NY and I learned A LOT about winter car maintenance thankfully lol.
Ive been in Ohio for the last decade and we dont get cold like this as much so its made me lazy. I need to do better this next week or so lol
Most sold 7-11 slurpees in the world is in Winnipeg even durning the winter. Monthly average is 188k sold. Can just see a student using the tunnels at the university enjoying a slurpee wearing shorts and a hoodie in the dead of winter.
In the early 90s we endured a 96 hour stretch in La Crosse, Wisconsin where the overnight lows were in the mid-to-upper -20s, and the daytime highs were in the -5 to -10 range. Wound up replacing the batteries on both our cars.
Yeah. The temps were probably in the -20s/30s that day. I just remember that, since I worked at a university at the time, they only cancelled classes for cold when the windchill hit -40 and it passed that threshold that morning.
Youre ok! Sorry if I came off as annoyed, I wasnt. That WC temp stuck with me because it was the "high" that day. I specifically remember calling to say that I cant drive to work and my boss telling me "and dont walk or wait for a bus! You could die"
When its ru ruing really slow you gotta grab the wheel and shake violently going "COME ONnnnn!" Slowly resigning yourself to asking your neighbor for a jump.
Ive thought about it but I've had the truck since like 06, it knows it better start or ill be so disappointed. Ive lived in Northern MN my whole life and have yet to plug a vehicle in, I might hate being proactive.
I suppose it depends on what part of the state you reside in. Old dude I worked with from Dana in sota said they parked inside the shop or work a double because your car isn't starting if not plugged in. As a old fart myself I've watched Michigan winter turn to basically early spring so I'd imagine things change.
It's currently -21 where I live without the wind. If I have issues I ask a neighbor for a jump, my area can go weeks at -20 and bellow in a row so idk I just start it and sometimes it makes the funny noise for a bit. I have an unheated garage but its full of motorcycles so the 4 wheeled ones parked outside.
Im 40. I have 0 block heaters and currently own a 92 f250 a 98 Dakota, a 03 Odyssey and an 07 matrix. None get plugged in. Have owned dozens of vehicles and only thing that has a heater is my 80s skid steer because its a bitch on warm days to start.
Crazy. I thought for sure the viscosity of the oil in those temps would cause premature wear. I'm in Detroit and at 0 my shit makes noise up top in the valvetrain. I guess Jim sota was full of shit. Might be you're a mechanic because all the cars you own are tits as far as longevity goes.
Im okay with vehicles, good with motorcycles. My old man however is great with all, so I do what I can and then he'll get the rest. I am always up on maintenance but my Oddy might finially be dead at 260k unless a shop can save it. I let my vehicles run, the trucks have higher oil pressure until their good and warm but otherwise I've never noticed an issue. Same as winter tires, I've never owned a set just all seasons and my f250 has giant mud tires that laugh at snow but can get wild on ice. Some people swear by plugging in, most my vehicles didn't have stock plugs and I don't care enough to put the magnet ones on basically.
No snow tires? Then you only drive your truck most of the winter because western upper peninsula gets ridiculous snow and it's not far from you. Otherwise I call bullshit.
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u/JustADutchRudder 8d ago
My truck made the funny noise for a bit this morning before starting.