I "REALLY" hate cold weather, What to expect in MPG.

[acdii]

Takes only a few minutes. Get the 1/2" pipe foam, and a pair of sharp scissors. Take one end and butt it to the edge, mark the first rib, and slice the foam keeping the seam to the inside, and place it, then cut the next one and so on until you get to the end and trim it, then squeeze and push it in until its nice and tight. One package did the top and two more pieces did the bottom, so get two bags of the 1/2" stuff, which has 4 pieces. I got mine at Menards.

[md13ffhguy]

Thanks again! Never heard of Menard's around here, but I know several places that would have that stuff. I'll need double to do my wife's car, too.

[wreckedcar]

Thanks again! Never heard of Menard's around here, but I know several places that would have that stuff. I'll need double to do my wife's car, too.

That's a shame because you can save big money at Menards.

[tr7driver]

I didn't block the bottom grill last year. I guess I'll give it a try. I need to get some foam for the C-max as well.

[hybridbear]

I just picked up some more foam at Menard's the other day. Under $3 with tax for the bag of foam. I'm going over to my parents' house this evening and am going to use the remaining foam to fill the C-Max grille.

[tr7driver]

I just picked up some more foam at Menard's the other day. Under $3 with tax for the bag of foam. I'm going over to my parents' house this evening and am going to use the remaining foam to fill the C-Max grille.

 

Let me know how the C-max worked out. I'm trying to figure out how to block the top grill. I'm thinking of trying tape on the inside but I'm afraid the adhesive will fail and leave a mess. I'm looking for black foam in hopes it will be less obvious than the gray.

 

[hybridbear]

 

Let me know how the C-max worked out. I'm trying to figure out how to block the top grill. I'm thinking of trying tape on the inside but I'm afraid the adhesive will fail and leave a mess. I'm looking for black foam in hopes it will be less obvious than the gray.

 

Check out the link that Gry Sql posted at the top of this page, it includes a pic of the foam in the C-Max grille.

[rigormortis]

Has anyone tried folding the back seats down in cold weather to help keep the batteries warm? I did it today during a 28º 40 mile drive (highway speeds) and was able to get 44 mph. Yesterday I was only able to get 38 mph with a 15 mph wind behind me at similar temps. Totally unscientific at this point and only based on one trip. ...thus my reason for asking if others have experimented :^)

[dalesky]

Takes only a few minutes. Get the 1/2" pipe foam, and a pair of sharp scissors. Take one end and butt it to the edge, mark the first rib, and slice the foam keeping the seam to the inside, and place it, then cut the next one and so on until you get to the end and trim it, then squeeze and push it in until its nice and tight. One package did the top and two more pieces did the bottom, so get two bags of the 1/2" stuff, which has 4 pieces. I got mine at Menards.

[dalesky]

I miss Menards and Fleet Farm

[acdii]

This is promising. It was 8* this morning, ranging to 12* as the high. With heat and defrost on at fan level 3, both seat heaters going. It did better than I thought it would, I was guessing to be about 38.

 

[nv rick]

I miss Menards and Fleet Farm

I always thought of Menard's as a poor relative of Home Depot. Of course, that was fifteen years ago when I retired and left Milwaukee for Nevada.

I would hope that their operation is closer to the other home supply stores now. If John can keep sponsoring Paul in NASCAR, I have to believe he's doing pretty well.

[acdii]

You aren't kidding barely mad me the 40 on the way home.

 

I have a feeling this winter season is going to be interesting to say the least.

Good thing you are not around today, or this week. 20+ MPH winds, 11*, -6 with wind chill. Way too early for this crap. I barely cracked 35 on the way home, drove right into that wind. Oh and there were snow squalls too.

[GrySql]

Man, that is nasty weather.

I congratulate all of you that keep the job, family and lives on track.

 

My neighbor is from Wisconsin and is always moaning about missing 'back home'.

He's wearing a tank top, shorts and flip-flops while telling me this and has lived here for 20+ years - right.

[acdii]

One visit here today and he wont be saying that! Woke up to 8* temps and wind. It gets worse, the high this week is 30*, lows in the single digits(It's only November!), and Saturday it is expected to be in the 40's, with RAIN. You all know what that means, Stay home this weekend or risk sliding off the roads as they will be sheets of ice. This is a bad start to the winter, whenever we get frozen ground, then rain, it builds an ice barrier, then snow drifts instead of sticking to the ground(which is what led to the crash last Feb), or worse snow, then rain, then freeze, then more snow. I would rather just have the snow without a partial thaw and refreeze, otherwise it makes clearing paths a nightmare, and even worse stall bounds the horses because we cant clear a path to the pasture for them, or ice builds up and its too risky to let them out. A 1000# animal is not a nice thing to see fall.

 

 

Anyhow, I did manage to get over 40MPG this morning, which makes me pleased with the car. I was warm, car ran good, and got decent MPG.

[corncobs]

Good thing you are not around today, or this week. 20+ MPH winds, 11*, -6 with wind chill. Way too early for this crap. I barely cracked 35 on the way home, drove right into that wind. Oh and there were snow squalls too.

That's true I was watching CNN weather and it looked pretty darn cold. Where I'm at it's 43*F right know (at midnight - damn jet lag).

 

I really impressed by the rental car I got. As I mentioned elsewhere it's a new VW Golf Diesel and my morning commute is about 2 miles and got 38 MPG on the "trip".

 

Yesterday I drove a bit further to some people at one point the car was showing me 4 l/100km about 59 MPG. It's only a 5 speed and keep catching myself trying to shift into 6th. :)

[acdii]

At least it isn't like NY where they got up to 6'(thats FEET) of snow.

[murphy]

And it's still a month to the beginning of winter.

[acdii]

Winter is roaring in like a Polar Bear!

[Nick Golden]

I finally blocked my upper grill with foam...oh what a difference to my MPG and my comfort! I was at about 40 mpg when cold and the car never seemed to heat up. now I'm back up to upper 40's (my norm) and the heat seems to work better. Should've done this last winter.