To warm up...or not to warm up?

[Fyhre]

My dad always used to stress to me as a teenager how important it was to warm my car up after it sat overnight or through the work day. I’ve warmed my cars up ever since. Now, I’m told that with the newer cars, this is unnecessary…that all I have to do is start the engine and drive slowly at first. Hmmm, seems when I do the latter, my car jumps a bit when I shift. I think I like warming it up better although I’d like the extra few minutes to be able to get where I’m headed quicker. Does anybody else here warm their car up?

[lycanox]

Do you have the reasoning why someone would need to that.

This really sounds like something for Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman.

[Fyhre]

He said it "broke in" the engine after the car had been sitting a while. It does have a different feel to it if I just start it and go. My dad was a total car buff. I always took what he told me about cars seriously.

[lycanox]

I think he is worried for the batteries. These are recharged in the engine and run out if the car is in disuse for a while.
Or residue in the oil or gasoline sinking in and clogging the engine that needs to be flushed out first.

Buying the car from the old lady that only used to drive to Sunday school really isn't a good sell and can indeed result in such turmoil

But whether or not these effects set in when the car is being used regularly and whether or not warming the engine up before driving helps I don't know.

[Nu Kua]

No, you warm them up so the oil can thin out a little before you drive it.
It coats stuff better that way.
Less stress on whatever it is that oil goes through to make your car run.
My truck warms up about 2 minutes on cold days.
Of course its a '92. If I don't let it warm on cold days, it drives kind of rough for a few minutes, and I'll sometimes get a "check engine" light.

[Fyhre]

I get that "check engine" light if I don't screw the gas cap on tight enough...and my car's an '06. Funny, timing is everything. I just had a co-worker come in and tell me she's stopped warming her car up in the mornings to help lower her gas bills. I told her I don't think that makes any difference.

[phedrereine]

When I had a car, I would always warm up the engine on cold days. Of course, it was always sitting out in the driveway, so that might have made it more necessary. My parents always stressed to me how important it was, too. The oil warms and lubricates the drier parts, like circulation. Plus, I liked to defrost some of the bits of hard ice that I couldn't scrape off so that I could see better. And I liked to warm up the car before I started driving, because I am a pansy and I can't do anything, driving or otherwise, while freezing my ass off.

[Fyhre]

Good to know I'm not the only one who does this. Thing is, I do it no matter what the weather is. I love my car too much. :)

[olddragon]

Cars with automatic transmissions need a warm up to get all the fluid circulating.

[Fyhre]

My car's a stick. Wouldn't have it any other way. :P

[The Wicked Priest]

I live in Buffalo, so warming up my vehicle is a way of life in the winter time. I think OD is right about the automatic transmission thing, too.

Myself, I always let my truck run for about 20 seconds before I put it in gear and start driving. It makes sense to me that you would want the fluids to circulate before you drive.

[phedrereine]

Kudos to you for living in Buffalo during the winter! I wouldn't be able to handle driving in all that snow.

[The Wicked Priest]

Kudos to you for living in Buffalo during the winter! I wouldn't be able to handle driving in all that snow.

Thanks! Driving in the snow is great... it's like slow motion rally racing. It's the ice that you have to watch out for.