ok, so is it just the cold, or is something wrong with my heat? my heat always used to start pumping out real warm/hot as soon as the engine temp guage started to go up, but now, it doesn't feel the slightest bit warm till its at 165-175. i took it to a mechanic, and he said it still gets warm, so there's nothing to fix(his extensive method of testing was wait till it warmed up completely, and turned on the heat...it was warmer than outside, so he said it works......) i can't drive my car in the winter until it completely warms up now(which takes a bit, and i really don't want to waste that much gas) in order to drive to work, which is only 5 min away, because otherwise, my breath will fog up the windshield...sigh...am i just expecting too much from my car?

ssometimes up here people will block off half the rad with cardboard in front to help it get warm.because the colder it is outside the longer it takes to get warm

but my engine temp is not the problem...its that when my engine was starting to warm up, i used to have heat, and now, its not till the engine is quite hot. sorry if thats what you're trying to explain to me...i feel like a retart with most of this stuff...

Well I can relate to youre issue, I live in cold part of Canada -30 to -45 temps @ times, I also own 01 cavalier 2.2L ohv, My heat did blow out that much, I even used a piece of cardboard in front of the rad near the outer front bumper area, It helps with faster warm ups in the winter. Also u could have a a blocked heater core, Possibly the fan blower motor could be weak too. I also replaced my blower motor resistor

hmmm....doesn't it suck that this kinda stuff happens in the coldest time of the year?

Its happens, I had to change that blower motor resistor part in -35 temps,

WOW! i almost feel like goin outside in a t-shirt(-2)...of course, i won't...lol

thanks a lot for your help, guys!