Reminds me of my days growing up in Pittsburgh. Last winter I lived there had a stretch of -teens every morning. Door latch froze OPEN in the short period I was getting in the car and putting stuff in the hatch. Had to do what Riff just described....ran the heater full blast and drove around in circles, hanging onto the door until it warmed up enough to latch. Between that and having to use ether to start the car, and then one metal hood hinge breaking off in the -18 weather, (because I had to open hood to spray the ether in of course!), I was fo' sho' moving to California upon graduation in May!
I feel for you gang!