Letting your car warm up

[tOSU]

Car no, Harley yes for a minute or two..

 

[Hercules10]

Regular gas engine - No
Diesel engine - Yes

 

[Tuffcookie]

I have a remote start so I start it up and let it warm up for 10-15 minutes. then it's nice and toasty when I get in it. I know it's bad for the environment but I'd rather be comfortable.

Me too!

TC

 

[John VN]

I just read in the owner's manual for my car (long story about why I was leafing through the owner's manual...) that it's not bad to DRIVE the car cold till it warms up. What's bad for the car is if you drive a short way, then TURN IT OFF while it's still cold, before the oil and stuff has had a chance to get warm and lubricate.

Driving cold, ok. Repeatedly starting and stopping the engine while still cold, not ok.

I never warm up my car. I'm always late by the time I get out the door! We warm up together, my car and me.

Here's a professional opinion.

Bottom line: not necessary for modern cars.

The answers given above are very informative.

READ the vehicle Owner's Manual, as they can be different for each manufacturer. Excessive idling might create issues.

 

[mimmi]

I have a new Diesel and don't do it, it's cold here but not so cold that it's really necessary.
Where I live it's forbidden by law, I rather be a bit cold for a few minutes than having to pay a fine.

 

[TheIncredibles!]

Nope - I park in the garage.

 

[jen0610]

Here's a professional opinion.

Bottom line: not necessary for modern cars.

While professionals opinions do count, unless they personally know my car like I do, I will keep on letting my car warm up a bit when the weather calls for it. I'm the one who drives the car and knows it's own personal tweeks.

 

[bettymae1121]

when it's bitter cold like this I do. I will also do it even if it's "warmer" if LO is going along, so her car seat isn't ice cold. My car is just outside the back door and it only takes a second to run out of the house, start it, and run back in again. By the time I have LO in her jacket, hat mittens and I get my own stuff together, the car is at least warm enough to be tollerable.

 

[SLP958]

I did not read everything, sorry if this has been answered.
What is plugging in the car?

I am from Alabama and have never heard of someone plugging in a car. Is it an electric car?

 

[arthuruscg]

The people in this thread are referring to an electric heater for the engine block.
The heater helps get the motor closer to operating temp.

 

[manning]

Yes and no. It all depends on the weather condititions around here. The last 2 days with the wind chill factor, it's been in the negatives so the car has been started and warmed up for 10+ minutes.

In the mornings, if there is frost on the storm door, that tells me the car will be frosted up to, so it gets started and warmed up for 5 to 10 minutes. The more frost it has, the longer it warms up.

If it's a frost free morning, then I usually don't warm it up.

Any overnight snow, the car gets warmed up while I am cleaning off the snow.

Contrary to belief windchill only has an affect on organic objects IE flesh. -5 degrees on a metal object with a -30 wind chill will be -5.

 

[*JoGo*]

My car has remote start so yes, we warm it up! As cold as its been, I will even remote start in while at the check out in stores.

My dh's car doesn't have remote start so my poor, poor oldest son is sent out to start it. I pay him $1!

I have a condition that makes me intolerant of cold and extreme heat. I am absolutely miserable right now. I will never ever buy a car without remote start and seat warmers again!

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

Even though my car is parked in the garage overnight, I still warm it up for a good 10 minutes before I head out to work in the morning.

I wish I had a remote start or heated seats! Those are my only 2 requests for my next car.

 

[leebee]

It was -7F here this morning so yes, I warmed up the car for about 5-10 minutes, while I got my bookbag packed, poured my to-go coffee, and put on my coat and hat. It's actually a minivan, so it takes a bit to get it comfortable inside. I usually have to drive it about 5 minutes before the heat comes up... today it was over 15 mins. Brrrr.... I'll be glad when we have less of this arctic air flow! (it was about -23 with the wind chill today... thankfully, we had indoor recess!)

 

[jlewisinsyr]

I use to when I bought cars as it has been said is better to let the car warm up for 30 - 60 seconds, but with lease, nope...don't care.

 

[DarthKTrava]

I let mine warm up until the needle moves. Then off I go! It seems to run smoother when I warm it up.

 

[Minerva Mouse]

Never, ever, ever in the past, I was a start the car and gooooooooo kinda girl. But now I have a turbo with a six speed and I don't touch the gas till the car winds down.

 

[tvguy]

It depends where you are. Where I am, we have to plug in our cars overnight or they will not start the next morning. We usually also have to brush off the snow and scrape the windows as well. I don't remember why but I do know its really bad to drive when your engine is too cold.

I bet your owners manual says to start the car, take right off, but drive conservatively. Nothing pollutes more than an idling car engine.
And at least here in California, cars are designed to get to operating temperature quickly. Normally my temperature gauge is at normal operating temperature in 2 city blocks......although we just had a stretch of 25 degree weather the last 2 weeks and it took 4 blocks to get to full operating temperature.


Funny you mention plugging your car in, I mentioned that here a year or two ago and a lot of people who said they lived in snow country said they had never heard of that. Last time I was in Calgary, the hotel I stayed in had a plug at every parking spot. I know my family up there has the engine block heater, and a small electric heater mounted under the dash on the passenger side to keep the oil and water in the engine warm, and the interior warm too.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Do you?

I get in my car, start it, put on my seatbelt, then back out of the driveway. I never let it warm up. Other than not having heat for a few minutes, is there any reason I should let it warm up for a few minutes before driving?

My windows are iced and I have to defrost them. If I did not do that I would not be able to see to drive.

I do scrape them as well depending on how iced they are.

Plus my dh would insist on a small warm up to get fluids in the car warmed up.

And last I hate sitting in 7 degrees driving off in the car. Give me SOME HEAT!!!

When we had a diesel Surburban, we plugged that into charger when it was freezing out to make sure it started.

 

[CdnCarrie]

I did not read everything, sorry if this has been answered.
What is plugging in the car?

I am from Alabama and have never heard of someone plugging in a car. Is it an electric car?

It's -20 F without the windchill here. -40 with the windchill. If you leave your car outside for too long without plugging it in it the battery won't start.

No they are not electric cars.