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> Literally no one is doing this

I do, as do multiple members of my immediate family who park our vehicles outside. We have block heaters so we can start them on those -10F mornings. None of us have diesel either - Toyota 4runner, Ford Explorer, GMC Sierra. Every winter we get at least a couple weeks where it's that cold in Wisconsin.

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OP Should have said "most don't need to do it." I live in Minnesota and its rare to see people use block heaters now days, folks that do are most likely doing it because their parents did. I know from first hand experience that modern ICE cars with proper maintenance will perform just fine in the extremest of Minnesotan winters.

That doesn't sound right. I live in MN and my 17 year-old Nissan 350Z will happily start in -20F as long as the battery is in good shape. Any of those vehicles you mention (unless the 4Runner is old enough to still have a carbureted 22R) should start up just fine at -10F.

2018 4runner in my case. Still on its original battery so that's probably getting a little weak. -10F starts fine, its when we get those -15 or -20ish nights where you can really hear it struggling and you hope it starts. Sure I could upgrade the battery but a block heater is a lot cheaper when my battery is just fine in > -10 degree weather. Plus you get a warmer engine with the better lubrication that provides for the motor until it heats up.

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