Do you wait for your car to warm up?

[Falcon Freak]

As it is winter I am curious to know if other people are similar to me. I have been ridiculed for waiting for my car to warm up before I drive. When it is very cold and the car hasn't been used for a while, I wait for at least one minute after starting the vehicle before I drive the car. Once I start to drive the car I drive it gently and don't start giving it stick until it reaches normal operating temperatures. I don't believe it is good to put a cold engine under a lot of load. Does anybody agree or do similar things?

FF

[Smoke Pursuit]

I take off straight away but go gentle, usually until the Oil Temp Gauge reaches operating level...

My neighbour thrashes his cars cold and it makes me shiver...

[GUTLES]

I let mine idle while I brush my teeth, always nice to have the heater working as soon as you take off

[Fairlane]

Always let mine warm up a little before moving it and avoid giving it the boot before it reaches norm operating temp.

Some mornings Warming up for me is particularily important, i live about 200m from a T-junction on a 100kmh road which i use most of the time. So i always try to warm it up before i reach this intersection as it requies a plenty of oomph to merge in.

[Conrad]

Wheres the option for "No, but i drive it extremely gently until normal operating temperature is reached."

And i try to let it warm a bit when i can.

Also i'd love the heater to work immediately, i'd be cheering! Not that i drive really early in the morning or anything anyway.

[Falcon_Phill]

Yeh sometimes. It dosnt usually start till the 2nd time after not using it for a week and it being cold, but ill give it a little idle before i take off.

[BZINGA]

Originally Posted by GUTLES

I let mine idle while I brush my teeth, always nice to have the heater working as soon as you take off

I had a neighbour that owned an xc v8 that would start the bloody thing up and let it idle for 5 - 10 minutes every morning before the sun was up, you could just about use it as an alarm clock : was great when they finally moved sleep:

I let it warm up just a little but idle out for a couple of km's.

[Whitey-AMG]

I always let it idle for a minute or two.........drive off gently and allow for the whole drivetrain to warm up not just the engine.........usually for a couple of minutes then I drive "normally"

I always check the oil temp and pressure reading before thrashing regardless........

[bodes-sh]

usually by the time i start it, back out of the garage, close the garage, close the gate and get back in it's been a couple of minutes anyway...

[XCSEDAN]

gentle till shes at running temp
then i drive it a bit harder...

[atec77]

Originally Posted by Falcon Freak

As it is winter I am curious to know if other people are similar to me. I have been ridiculed for waiting for my car to warm up before I drive. When it is very cold and the car hasn't been used for a while, I wait for at least one minute after starting the vehicle before I drive the car. Once I start to drive the car I drive it gently and don't start giving it stick until it reaches normal operating temperatures. I don't believe it is good to put a cold engine under a lot of load. Does anybody agree or do similar things?

FF

Poll doesnt accomodate the correct way , start and drive keeping load light until up to correct temp then thrash it

[M&Ms]

Start up, let it sit idle for 10-15 secs for the oil to start circulating, and drive away, never letting it rev hard until the temperature guage (guage or gage????) reaches "Normal".

Would be great if the heater worked straight away on these cold winter mornings.

Just curious, is it bad to let it hold lower gears, say 2nd, (but not exceed 3000 RPM) so temperature builds up quicker???

[Whitey-AMG]

Interesting thing here is that "operating temperature" can mean different things.

I've noticed on the GT that even though the water temp is at the operating level ( 1/4 way on the gauge ).........The oil temp doesn't really budge until about 15 - 20 mins into the drive. The Oil pressure also remains high on idle even after 5+ minutes !!!!!!!!!.........can be longer when weather is real cold.

Probably not a good idea to use the water temp as the MAIN guide to when the car is at "operating" temp.

[woodsy109]

Never bother with my car as you can't really tell what temp it is anyway so a short idle and i'm off. With my bike I always warm it up to operating temp and it has a digital temp display so once it gets to 80deg i'm thrashing it.

[Gabbs]

I usually get in start her up and then put my seatbelt on and start reversing out slowly. Pretty much keep the revs down till its warm then just drive normally.

[ebxr8240]

Yep start it put seat belts on and drive at my normal leisurely pass...

[XR8-260]

When I had my fairmont I used to drive slowly (below 2500rpm) until the engine temp got to normal. Now I drive a 15 year old volvo so I couldn't care less lol.

[Steffo]

Won't budge until the temp gauge has moved from the first line off C. Takes about 3 minutes. And then for 10 - 15 minutes drive it pretty relaxed for everything else to warm up.

[Flouro_Joe]

Originally Posted by Conrad

Wheres the option for "No, but i drive it extremely gently until normal operating temperature is reached."

I was looking for that option myself. The instructions that came with my shift kit clearly state: "ALWAYS WARM TRANSMISSION THOROUGHLY BEFORE UTILIZING FULL THROTTLE UPSHIFTS" :eclipsee_

[clontarf_x]

I usually let it sit there for about a minute or so (normally while I go open the gates). This is only overnight mind you. If i've driven her about 5 or 6 hours ago I normally just start her up, in gear and off I go

[JBomb3000]

I start driving straight away but don't bring it on boost until the temp gauge reaches a certain point.

[Zed7fiddy]

I said Yes, most times i do, though sometimes you just gotta get going, but ill never really push the car at all untill it has warmed up.

[shedguy]

Originally Posted by TRIK67

I had a neighbour that owned an xc v8 that would start the bloody thing up and let it idle for 5 - 10 minutes every morning before the sun was up, you could just about use it as an alarm clock : was great when they finally moved sleep:

Must be an XC thing ... I do that too! : Mind you, if I don't then I would be stalling and restarting the thing 5 times before I was out of my driveway .... which I'm sure would annoy the neighbours more!

As for the ute - pffft ... it's warm enough by the time we hit the end of my street! :evil3:

[Dazza XLT]

I let mine warm up and pump some oil about, as I don't drive it everyday.

[RAREV8]

The Landau is a bugger to start at the moment- no choke and a rooted dizzy so I have to let her idle for about 4-5 minutes (once it decides to stay alight!) before I drive her otherwise it farts and coughs if you accellerate....I'll fix it once funds allow but even then, I'll wait until oil pressure is up and temp has started to rise.

[andrewts]

Well, starting it and backing out of the garage takes around 1 minute, and then we just head up the hill, not much over 2000RPM, and that pretty much consists of getting the oil going. We never gunn it cold, but then again it never really warms up...

Clutch Fan + Siezed Thermostat + Winter = Enrichment Mode = 27.2L/100KM

(I voted Yes)

[Eb Barbie]

I usually drive it straight away because I'm always in a rush to get to work. If I actually am ready in time, then I do let it warm up while I wipe the mist off the windows Damm cold weather!!

[james22]

Yeah, Always warm up the Xr before I drive for at least a minute or two. And won't get into it until I have hit Normal operating temp. I'd be lucky to drive it once a week, so I always warm it up first

[OED666]

mine drives like a pig when cold... much nicer when warm

[webby_191189]

I might leave it for about 5 mins while i open the gates up. But i normally drive it right away unless it is freezing cold. Mind you i only give it light throttle when it's cold.