well I need a new car and am planning on purchasing one this spring. I have desided on 2 doffrent cars a vw golf tdi manual, and the prius. I am going for econemy but also like to have room. Living in central Canada ( Saskatchewan) we see -40 to -50 C weather every winter. I currently do not have a garage to park in but generally have a plug in for the block heater. my main worry is the batteries can they survive this weather or should I go with the diesel?
they are sold in Norway and other cold climates and also I've seen them in Edmonton and Calgary and I bought mine in Regina. They survive just fine.
Intertan, I'm not worried about the car, I'm worried about YOU! I thought Michigan winters were bad growing up. Do they have block heaters for people?
I've seen as cold as about -10 F this winter and have yet to have a starting problem. I use the OEM block heater and it really helps the engine start and run quietly. The few times I've left it unplugged it has been substantially louder, but still very quiet. The Prius has no cold-start issues I am aware of, since it has the biggest "starter" and battery of any car I've ever seen.
we have actually been lucky this year the coldest its been is -30 still cold but better than the -50 we usualy get for a week every year. I not to worried about the engine more the batteries.
My family had a Mercedes diesel a long tima ago. That sucker wouldn't start at all if it got close to freezing. Glow plugs or not, it just wouldn't light up if the engine was too cold to begin with. I'm sure they're much better now.
