Is this a GP thing or is it just me? My 2004 takes forever to warm up on cold days when i start it and let it run. I do not turn on the heat until the engine temp is at least 140, that way im not wasting the little heat i have, once i get going, i crank it. Today, I was cruising along at 55 out in the country, outside temp was 15F. I had been driving for about 15 minutes and my temperature was up to 170. I came down hill into a town, and my temp had dropped to 165. The warmest the engine got on the entire trip was 190, and the stat is rated for 195.
The stat is pretty new so I doubt it got stuck open, is it possible that running the heat cools the engine that much? I drive a Honda Civic from time to time and in that car, it warms up within 5 miles gets to 195-200 and stays there no matter how high the heat is cranked or what the outside temperature is.
Is there anything i can do to make the car heat better? This is the same car that likes to run hot all summer long.