​​Do You Need to Warm Your Car Up Before Driving?​ 

Depending on how old you are, or perhaps more importantly, on how old your parents were when you started driving, you’ve probably heard that letting your car idle for a few minutes to warm up the engine before driving is important for your engine’s life. But do you really have to do that? The quick answer from Alderman Automotive is yes, but not for very long. Here is the longer answer. 

Warming up your car is a perpetuated piece of advice that simply has not kept up with technology. If you grew up in an age when most car engines had carburetors and oil was sold in single-figure grades, there was quite a bit of merit to having the engine warm up for a bit, particularly if the outside temperature is cold and the car was parked outside. Some experts claimed a few minutes, others said until the needle in the temperature gauge – if a vehicle was so equipped – reached the middle. 

The idea was that after your car has been parked for a while, the oil drains down to the oil pan at the bottom, and starting your engine takes time for the engine to find its way through the system – which was even trickier with older oils, which were thicker and more resistant to flow when cold. Plus, cold carburetor components may not mix gas and air well, so the engine doesn’t run smoothly until it warms up. 

But things have changed. Basically, all vehicles over the past few decades have fuel injection, and if you use the correct modern oil in your engine, it will have lubrication in well under a minute. Today, you can start your car and, by the time you buckle up, select your audio source, check your rear-view mirrors, and shift out of park, chances are you’re good to go.  

An engine is fully lubricated long before it reaches full operating temperature. While your temp gauge may still indicate the engine is cold, driving it modestly for a few blocks will bring it up to its optimal temperature even more quickly than idling without causing any damage. It is recommended that you don’t rev your engine up to high rpm right away. 

Now, some cars have remote-starting capability, either through your key fob or a smartphone app, and will have the car running by the time you get to it. This is fine if you want the cabin to be warm or cool by the time you enter it. Just know you’re trading reduced fuel economy for improved comfort, but the practice isn’t likely to improve engine longevity.  

One thing you absolutely should wait for: the front and rear windows to defog or be physically cleared of any accumulated snow or ice. Visibility is extremely important, and an obstructed windscreen or windows may even earn you a ticket.  

If you have been adhering to the car warm-up myth, hopefully Alderman Automotive just saved you some time in the mornings. Remember when you need a car or truck and you don’t need it to be new shop the vast inventory by the used car specialists at Alderman Automotive for your next ride.