Brian,

We're here and what a drive! We loved the scenary through Indiana. Once we left Chicago and started heading northwest the roads got ugly. I really enjoy driving and especially under challenging situations. The car handled beautifully. Outside the Chicago suburbs through IL the highway (I39/I94) were quite icy. Lots of locals up on the concrete medians and ditches... I was surprised. What I did appreciate is that people here, for the most part, know how to drive in these conditions and are considerate drivers, they keep a prudent distance depending on road conditions... not at all like in the Triangle (Durham, NC) where they're total idiots when it ices or snows.

The V40 is absolutely comfortable and at home in this weather! Nothing like the typical jap or american car. The only bummer is someone, either Volvo (which would surprise me, esp since we picked it up in Sweden) or our home dealer seriously diluted the windshield washer fluid. That's the only part of the car that's not stood the challenge. It actually froze when we got to Lexington, KY (it was 1F over night there). In Chicago it melted and I tried adding concentrate to no avail. On the highway at speed it would refreeze in the lines I think. When traffic slowed because of the road it would melt enough and I used the heck out of it try to use up the fluid to add bluer stuff up here. Once in WI it hadn't melted since... and the concentrate separated itself from the water and is sitting on top of slush. After last night -22F I'm worried the pump is probably shot as the water may have ruptured it (if its mostly made of plastics). Fortunately there is a Volvo dealer nearby in Waussa. I might check them out tomorrow to see if they'll help. Syphoning would have worked if it weren't slushy.

Any ideas from experience?!

The other bummer: there's salt in every nook n cranny imaginable. When we get home I'll probably take it through the deluxe car wash several times (with sprays that shot up for the undercarriage).

I hope you're having a great holiday (Christmas).

Alberto