When's the last time the thermostat on the Versa has been replaced, Vern?
Finding a good "cold weather" vehicle?
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Block heater or get a electric seat warmer.
Like stated before, anything with those nice electrothermo things. My car will not get up to full operating temps if the weather dips below freezing at all and I have the active grill shutters, and a "dual loop" cooling system cast block with aluminum heads. (It's also a paltry sized 1L 3cyl turbo.)
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A few years ago our 2001 Chevy Impala with the 3.4 L gas six engine was doing a very poor job of defrosting the windows. I never put any radiator stop leak stuff in it (that stuff clogs heater cores), and had the cooling system flushed fairly regularly and have had that car for a very long time so I was pretty sure the heater core was not clogged. So there was a very good chance it was the thermostat. I had my mechanic replace it, and it is not an easy job, and sure enough the heater now works much better and it defrosts the windows much better.
Thermostats in the cooling systems work by using the expansion of a specially selected hydrocarbon that is an oil when heated above its melting / freezing temperature, and a wax when cooled below it melting / freezing temperature. This phase change causes a very significant change in the volume of that material which causes the cylinder it is contained in to cause the movement of a piston that moves a valve that controls weather or not the coolant flows. When the cylinders seal wears out the oil / wax hydrocarbon leaks out and the piston no longer moves the valve controlling the coolant. It is then time to replace the thermostat.
Thermostats in the cooling systems work by using the expansion of a specially selected hydrocarbon that is an oil when heated above its melting / freezing temperature, and a wax when cooled below it melting / freezing temperature. This phase change causes a very significant change in the volume of that material which causes the cylinder it is contained in to cause the movement of a piston that moves a valve that controls weather or not the coolant flows. When the cylinders seal wears out the oil / wax hydrocarbon leaks out and the piston no longer moves the valve controlling the coolant. It is then time to replace the thermostat.
Originally Posted by Skippy722
Something well insulated with a bigger engine. My 300 will literally roast you out of the car even at -20F. My 300 has double pane front glass (not sure on the rear), and it seems to help keep the cold out vs the single pane windows of our van.
Insulation is key. My 2015 cx5 had none. Literally. Carpet on metal. NONE. My 2019 cx5 turbo has good insulation. Interior noise dropped nearly 4dB from 2015, as well.
My 2015 would take miles. Like, 10-20 on the freeway before you were even close to okay. My 2019, it gets it done as fast as any vehicle I've been in, including my hemi Jeep and 7 liter corvette. Turbos generate legit heat, as well as do large engines. Large (physical block) engines retain it longer though, if you do a lot of 1-2 hour stops.
Something well insulated with a bigger engine. My 300 will literally roast you out of the car even at -20F. My 300 has double pane front glass (not sure on the rear), and it seems to help keep the cold out vs the single pane windows of our van.
Insulation is key. My 2015 cx5 had none. Literally. Carpet on metal. NONE. My 2019 cx5 turbo has good insulation. Interior noise dropped nearly 4dB from 2015, as well.
My 2015 would take miles. Like, 10-20 on the freeway before you were even close to okay. My 2019, it gets it done as fast as any vehicle I've been in, including my hemi Jeep and 7 liter corvette. Turbos generate legit heat, as well as do large engines. Large (physical block) engines retain it longer though, if you do a lot of 1-2 hour stops.
Seriously, these solutions are all WAY overcomplicated when there are little electric space heaters that plug into a cigarette lighter and sit on the dash. They're cheap and would work well enough for the few days you'd need one.
Originally Posted by skyactiv
You want something with heated cloth seats in it. Leather or vinyl heated seats take longer to warm up. The heated cloth seats in a VW GTI I once owned felt much better than the heated leather seats in my Elantra Sport.
Agreed, but do they even make that? I wish my car had cloth interior.
You want something with heated cloth seats in it. Leather or vinyl heated seats take longer to warm up. The heated cloth seats in a VW GTI I once owned felt much better than the heated leather seats in my Elantra Sport.
Agreed, but do they even make that? I wish my car had cloth interior.
OVERKILL
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My wife's RAM is the fastest warming up vehicle we've ever owned by a ridiculous margin. The 6.4L in my Jeep crawls up to temp in comparison.
Originally Posted by JimPghPA
A few years ago our 2001 Chevy Impala with the 3.4 L gas six engine was doing a very poor job of defrosting the windows. I never put any radiator stop leak stuff in it (that stuff clogs heater cores), and had the cooling system flushed fairly regularly and have had that car for a very long time so I was pretty sure the heater core was not clogged. So there was a very good chance it was the thermostat. I had my mechanic replace it, and it is not an easy job, and sure enough the heater now works much better and it defrosts the windows much better.
Thermostats in the cooling systems work by using the expansion of a specially selected hydrocarbon that is an oil when heated above its melting / freezing temperature, and a wax when cooled below it melting / freezing temperature. This phase change causes a very significant change in the volume of that material which causes the cylinder it is contained in to cause the movement of a piston that moves a valve that controls weather or not the coolant flows. When the cylinders seal wears out the oil / wax hydrocarbon leaks out and the piston no longer moves the valve controlling the coolant. It is then time to replace the thermostat.
Wow ^^^^^^
Now this is a very interesting and good post here... I learned something new today
A few years ago our 2001 Chevy Impala with the 3.4 L gas six engine was doing a very poor job of defrosting the windows. I never put any radiator stop leak stuff in it (that stuff clogs heater cores), and had the cooling system flushed fairly regularly and have had that car for a very long time so I was pretty sure the heater core was not clogged. So there was a very good chance it was the thermostat. I had my mechanic replace it, and it is not an easy job, and sure enough the heater now works much better and it defrosts the windows much better.
Thermostats in the cooling systems work by using the expansion of a specially selected hydrocarbon that is an oil when heated above its melting / freezing temperature, and a wax when cooled below it melting / freezing temperature. This phase change causes a very significant change in the volume of that material which causes the cylinder it is contained in to cause the movement of a piston that moves a valve that controls weather or not the coolant flows. When the cylinders seal wears out the oil / wax hydrocarbon leaks out and the piston no longer moves the valve controlling the coolant. It is then time to replace the thermostat.
Wow ^^^^^^
Now this is a very interesting and good post here... I learned something new today
Originally Posted by Ws6
Originally Posted by skyactiv
You want something with heated cloth seats in it. Leather or vinyl heated seats take longer to warm up. The heated cloth seats in a VW GTI I once owned felt much better than the heated leather seats in my Elantra Sport.
Agreed, but do they even make that? I wish my car had cloth interior.
The 2016 rental Charger I got while the Durango was in the body shop had heated cloth seats. They got hotter faster than my leather seats... wish the 300 had them.
Originally Posted by littlehulkster
Seriously, these solutions are all WAY overcomplicated when there are little electric space heaters that plug into a cigarette lighter and sit on the dash. They're cheap and would work well enough for the few days you'd need one.
If OP is in the market, or will be, for a new(er) or nicer car, an electric space heater is kind of dumb when you can buy a vehicle that doesn't require it in the first place. Properly insulated vehicle>one requiring an aftermarket space heater.
Originally Posted by skyactiv
You want something with heated cloth seats in it. Leather or vinyl heated seats take longer to warm up. The heated cloth seats in a VW GTI I once owned felt much better than the heated leather seats in my Elantra Sport.
Agreed, but do they even make that? I wish my car had cloth interior.
The 2016 rental Charger I got while the Durango was in the body shop had heated cloth seats. They got hotter faster than my leather seats... wish the 300 had them.
Originally Posted by littlehulkster
Seriously, these solutions are all WAY overcomplicated when there are little electric space heaters that plug into a cigarette lighter and sit on the dash. They're cheap and would work well enough for the few days you'd need one.
If OP is in the market, or will be, for a new(er) or nicer car, an electric space heater is kind of dumb when you can buy a vehicle that doesn't require it in the first place. Properly insulated vehicle>one requiring an aftermarket space heater.
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Originally Posted by littlehulkster
Seriously, these solutions are all WAY overcomplicated when there are little electric space heaters that plug into a cigarette lighter and sit on the dash. They're cheap and would work well enough for the few days you'd need one.
Can they draw enough power to make a noticeable difference? Even if you can pull 20 amps through the lighter socket, at 12 volts that's only 240 watts. I can't see that having much of an impact at -40.
Seriously, these solutions are all WAY overcomplicated when there are little electric space heaters that plug into a cigarette lighter and sit on the dash. They're cheap and would work well enough for the few days you'd need one.
Can they draw enough power to make a noticeable difference? Even if you can pull 20 amps through the lighter socket, at 12 volts that's only 240 watts. I can't see that having much of an impact at -40.
Originally Posted by fsdork
Originally Posted by littlehulkster
Seriously, these solutions are all WAY overcomplicated when there are little electric space heaters that plug into a cigarette lighter and sit on the dash. They're cheap and would work well enough for the few days you'd need one.
Can they draw enough power to make a noticeable difference? Even if you can pull 20 amps through the lighter socket, at 12 volts that's only 240 watts. I can't see that having much of an impact at -40.
You're heating a small, enclosed area, so yeah, they work alright.
If you REALLY want some hot, quick heat, Mr. Heater makes what they call a golf kart heater that runs on a 1lb propane cylinder. Small enough you can use it inside a vehicle, too, in fact I think it even fits in most cup holders. Way more heat than a 12v electric but they run about $100.
Originally Posted by littlehulkster
Seriously, these solutions are all WAY overcomplicated when there are little electric space heaters that plug into a cigarette lighter and sit on the dash. They're cheap and would work well enough for the few days you'd need one.
Can they draw enough power to make a noticeable difference? Even if you can pull 20 amps through the lighter socket, at 12 volts that's only 240 watts. I can't see that having much of an impact at -40.
You're heating a small, enclosed area, so yeah, they work alright.
If you REALLY want some hot, quick heat, Mr. Heater makes what they call a golf kart heater that runs on a 1lb propane cylinder. Small enough you can use it inside a vehicle, too, in fact I think it even fits in most cup holders. Way more heat than a 12v electric but they run about $100.
Update: tested how quickly my 300 warmed up, it was 20F out. ~1 minute to get the coolant to 120 with the temp on "HI" with the fan on 5/7, which gives decently warm air. Basically the drive from my work parking lot to the stop light. By 3 minutes it's blowing hot and coolant is at ~160F. The climb from 160 to the normal 192 took a bit longer, but I was moving 55-60, and it's basically idling at that speed (~1250rpm at 60).
Back when I had my TDi it would be 5 miles for the temp gauge to move! I just dressed warmer.
My two Camry's seem to have heat pretty quick. 2 or 3 miles and I can turn the heat on and feel something. I'm ok with that.
In really cold weather sometimes I will turn on recirculate for a bit. I'll turn it off when I see moisture build up, but IMO by reusing warmer interior air, it should cut down on engine cooling and let the engine hit full temp faster.
My two Camry's seem to have heat pretty quick. 2 or 3 miles and I can turn the heat on and feel something. I'm ok with that.
In really cold weather sometimes I will turn on recirculate for a bit. I'll turn it off when I see moisture build up, but IMO by reusing warmer interior air, it should cut down on engine cooling and let the engine hit full temp faster.
I feel your pain! Both my 07 Corolla and 15 Venza take long to heat up. I installed a block heater on my Corolla but still takes about 7-8 mins to get "warm". The Venza takes at least 10 mins to start being warm.
Only other option you have is a remote starter
Only other option you have is a remote starter
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Probably the reason I dont work for NASA... but my answer is to get a remote car starter.
When I had a 2015 Focus with the 1.6, it heated up super fast. I'm guessing tiny engine + aluminum block helped.
I agree with some others, it could just be time for a coolant flush and a check on the thermostat. Not sure what the factory temp thermo is, but maybe bumping it up 10 degrees wouldn't hurt.
Most of my cars now seem to heat up pretty quick. The VW does, but the turbo helps that. The newer VWs have some kind of coolant jacket or circulation through the exhaust I'm pretty sure. Which would also help it heat up quicker. The 4.0 in my jeep will have the rad fan running in what feels like no time just idling to warm up. Just did a coolant flush in that with a fresh Stant 195F thermostat.
I used the stant super stat in my Jeep, no idea if its actually a better design for helping to warm up faster, but they claim it is
http://www.stant.com/index.php/english/products/consumer-products/thermostats/superstat-thermostat/
I agree with some others, it could just be time for a coolant flush and a check on the thermostat. Not sure what the factory temp thermo is, but maybe bumping it up 10 degrees wouldn't hurt.
Most of my cars now seem to heat up pretty quick. The VW does, but the turbo helps that. The newer VWs have some kind of coolant jacket or circulation through the exhaust I'm pretty sure. Which would also help it heat up quicker. The 4.0 in my jeep will have the rad fan running in what feels like no time just idling to warm up. Just did a coolant flush in that with a fresh Stant 195F thermostat.
I used the stant super stat in my Jeep, no idea if its actually a better design for helping to warm up faster, but they claim it is
http://www.stant.com/index.php/english/products/consumer-products/thermostats/superstat-thermostat/
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