Warming your car up in cold weather

[Ryland]

Originally Posted by Electictracer

I'm convinced. My MPG as dropped so much this winter I have got to do something. I normally warm my truck up 5 mins prior to taking off.

Wait, you live in Eugene Oregon and you warm your vehicle up for 5 minutes? I lived out there for a year and it never even got cold! at least not cold enough to have to warm up a vehicle before driving it.
Even last week when it was -5F I didn't bother warming up my car much longer then it takes to put my seat belt on, I do have an electric ceramic heater on the dash to help keep the windshield frost free because it takes just over ten minutes to get to work and I'm less then a mile a way before the engine is warm enough for the defrost to start working, then I park in the sun if I can so the inside of my car is already warmed up when it's time to go home.

[Frank Lee]

Californians and whatnot think 65 deg is cold.

[nemo]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

Californians and whatnot think 65 deg is cold.

Its not?

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by Electictracer

My MPG as dropped so much this winter I have got to do something.

I usually park in a garage, and my car is ready to go immediately. If I don't park in a garage, I'll wipe the interior windshield with a rag and open the side windows for a moment while I'm driving. I just can't be bothered to wait to go somewhere, and I certainly don't like to waste money.

When I park on hills, I will coast until engine power is needed and then roll start in 2nd gear.

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

Re: anti-idling laws: We need to be more like Finland. Yes, I don't like more and more laws but the people have proven incapable of common sense on their own.

This is a very slippery slope indeed. I'd like to force people to make good decisions too, but that is not my place. We would end up with a law that made it a crime to idle a car because people like to stay warm, but perfectly legal for me to pour a barrel of oil out on my lawn and dance around the flames. Of course, we would have to outlaw the Bugatti Veyron and scores of other vehicles well before we outlawed excessive idle.

If you want to impose good judgement, the biggest benefit (for society) would be something along the lines of prohibiting poor or stupid people from procreating. Who is too poor, too stupid, or what is excessive idling? See what I'm getting at.

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

...then start it up again only to sit in the passenger seat waiting for what seemed an eternity for his fat-a$$ed girlfriend to come back outta the C-store.

I have noticed a pattern of poor decision making skills by those that frequent convenience stores. My observations were made as a passenger in one of these running cars while the driver ran inside to grab a pack of cancer.

Originally Posted by jakobnev

It's a cultural thing AFAIK, the worst thing you can do socially in America is to come across as a cheapskate.

There is some truth to this, but it mostly comes down to ignorance. Old cars used to run like garbage when they were cold, so people warmed them up. Where do we get advice? -from old people. Old habits die hard.

[Frank Lee]

If you want to impose good judgement, the biggest benefit (for society) would be something along the lines of prohibiting poor or stupid people from procreating. Who is too poor, too stupid, or what is excessive idling?

Seriously though, I think the only thing that'll do the trick is really high prices.

[2010civic]

I have adopted everyones recommendations here. I start my car and am out the driveway in 30 seconds. Just take it easy for a minute or two and get up to speed and drive to work. No harm yet.

[JethroBodine]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank Lee
Californians and whatnot think 65 deg is cold.

Originally Posted by Nemo

Its not?
_________

____


Still laughing!!!!

[Frank Lee]

Come here and we can discuss it over a nice cup of iced everything.

[Diesel_Dave]

I use a block heater & my oil pan heaters--and then I start driving BEFORE I start my engine

I back up the driveway so in the morning I can coast out the driveway and down the street to the stop sign before starting the engine.


And what really makes me cringe is when I see somebody start a cold engine and then rev it several times to warm it up. I think, "Not only are you wasting fuel, but you have no idea how much damage you're doing to that engine!"

[p38fln]

I let mine run for about 5 minutes with remote start if its below freezing. If it's below zero F I'll let it run for 15 minutes - Its really hard to drive when you can't move for the shivering
Above freezing and I'll start it with remote start as I walk towards it - It usually finishes the turbo test by the time I get to the drivers door, and I just drive away.
I have tried starting it and just driving immediately, but it puts out a huge cloud of brownish black smoke and retards the engine pretty severely for the first 15-20 seconds.

Also, in the summer time I turn the "Quiet Start" feature on - it makes it low idle if I do remote start it. In the winter I turn "Quiet Start" back off since it makes it high idle to warm up faster.