QuestionI read your answer about cold weather and idling. I just bought a cheap 1989
volvo gl station wagon. I am living in Ketchum Idaho, where it seems like
similar weather to what you talked about in MInnesota. This morning it was
-5. So, I am a competitive cross country skier and am using the volvo as
reliable transportation to get to and from a place three miles away. So I am
not driving very far pretty much I drive through a couple of stop signs in
town and then two and a half miles on the highway. It seems like a pretty
solid vehicle (funny thing it will start great in -5 degree weather first time but
then when I try to start it again later in the day it will have some trouble - any
suggestions). But what I am wondering is what can I do to ease the stress as
much as possible - in terms of letting it idle when I first start it up and how
long (like on below zero days) and things like I could just drive slower on the
high way and not take it up to the full 55mph. So really, I just got this car
and am getting super into it - I have the chilton's guide and am really
psyched about starting to do some work on it, but I also want to know
everything I can do in cold weather driving to help it through its last (or
hopefully not) years. Thanks a lot,
Jimmy
Answer Jimmy, my only additional suggestion to what you have read is, drive it past your destination on the highway at full highway speed (good for it) for 5 xtra miles, turn around and come back to where you want to be. Should be total trip of 13 miles if I do my math right. This allows the engine to get hot enough to remove all condensation and allows the battery to get fully recharged. That three miles is too short a trip and very hard on all vehicles.
Mark
