Its getting pretty cold in the mornings where I live and I was just wondering how many of us actually wait to warm up there cars. Is there a right and wrong way?

 

I warm up my car allways in the winter or when its cold for at least 5 min.

 

I warm it up at least 1 minutes in Fall and maybe more in Winter. Otherwise it drives like crap at the beginning. I don't think you'd want to be waken up and made to run 100 meters dash. I know its silly analogy.

 

The right way:

Start the engine.
let run for a few seconds.
Drive slowly for the first few minutes.
Then drive normally.

Below 20 degrees:

Add a little time to the above.

 

in the summer, I let the car warm up for about a minute or so, just to get the oild moving. then when I start driving, I keep the RPMs low till about 5 minutes later.

In the winter, I warm up the car a lot longer, but that is mainly for heat reasons, I turn on the car, turn on the head, then go inside for a while. So then my car is toasty when I get in.

 

The way I warm up my car is by driving under 3000 RPM until the fluid temperature gets to its peak average. I think that if you just turn it on and run it before you drive it, not only do you waste fuel, but it takes longer to warm up and you are only warming up the engine none of the other moving parts.

Just my 2 cents.

 

whoops, i said no but i don't go over 2.5 grand till the rad./temp is avrg. but "/\" is right, if you drive it warms up quicker, maybe not betterr but i'm freezing when I get in at 0 degrees or close!!

 

Exactly right.

 

When it's cold outside yes I do, but if it's like it is now in AL... hot. I'll let it run for about 40 seconds before I pull out of the garage.

 

since it's been getting colder, I wait longer in the garage before pulling out.

 

yeah, I start it up, let it sit a number of seconds (10-30), pull out, and drive it gently until the temperature gauge shows average, then I slowly get more aggressive with the throttle.

 

I just turn it on, wait 15 seconds and drive. mostly cause its warm in the summer.

winter, i let the arrow go above C on the line and i drive, usally 3-4 mins.

 

this is the recomended way to do it, maximum cold idle time should be one minute, after that engine damage can occur, so let it run for a minute, then drive slowly till the temp guage climbs, shouldnt take too long, our maxes warm up easy, even in winter.


WHEELMAN

 

i wait till the gauge is above C.

 

There was a huge thread about this a long time ago. Yes, you should wait until the needle is above C before you rev over 3000. No, you shouldn't let your car warm up for more than a minute or so if it's cold. One minute should be enough. Any more and it's overkill and not good for your engine. If it's warm outside, 30 secs is enough.

 

 

I usually let it run for 3 minutes in the winter, to get the oil warmed up in the crankcase, then I drive it really slow, with not letting the RPMs go more than 2K RPMs. It usually is warmed up fully in 5 miles of top and go driving when its really cold outside. Since its been getting cold outside now... I let it idle till the RPMs settle down to about 1K from 1400 when I 1st start it up, and then take of. If you start up and drive it like ya stole it right after the needle gots off the cold or is still on cold... you will end up spining a rod bearing sooner or later. Then its time for a new engine. My technique lasted 200K miles on my Sentra, and now 100K miles on my Maxima- no oil burning what so ever, always FULL of oil and never ever an issue with my engines performance.

 

my warm up procedure consist of turning the car on, backing out of the driveway, and try to leave a 50ft burnout!!!!! hehehe j/k.

drive easy until needle is above C

 

I turn it on and wait at least 30 seconds. Then drive calmly until its at norm temp.

In the winter, I just kick on my seat heaters...no need to wait for the heat!

 

I let mine idle for about a minute before I shift into gear. If I don't let it idle for a bit it will shudder and die when I shift it into gear. I just noticed that if my A/C is off then I don't have to let it idle for as long...

 

Just like what he said.... but if its snowing and I have to dig my car out, I'll let it idle a little longer while I scrape off the snow.... not sure if that's a good thing though.... I got a garage now anyways, so it don't matter....

 

LOL, my seat heaters take just about as long as the HVAC heater to warm me up. I find them almost useless.

 

Your car has a head option. Please, please tell me where I can get on of those.

 

I think head option requires a passenger in the seat next to the driver's seat He musta meant Heat

 

two words: remote starter

 

I havent hit a winter yet with my max, since i bought it this summer, but once december hits im putting in a remote start so it warms up for a few minutes and i dont freeze

 

yes, i always do!!!
especially during the winter, sometimes wait 10 mins..... like last year when it was -10 degrees

i remember that when i had problem with my tranny on my 2k2 max, the dealer ask me if i warm up my car.... but i think is nothing to do with the tranny, right?

 

In the really cold weather, (15 degrees or lower) my MT is harder to shift till the engine is warmed up. I have noticed the same thing with other MT cars I've owned so I'm guessing the tranny fluid flows better after a short warm-up. Just before I'm ready to go, I'll depress the clutch and 'row' through the gears a couple times. This seems to help with smoother shifting in the cold.

 

i notice when the engine is cold it shifts harder....

 

I let my car warm up for 30s - 1 min before I drive away

 

i let the car idle til the rpms are below 1000. then i take it easy til it's totally warm.

anyone notice that when it's not totally warmed up the car kinda bogs at 4K rpm (for those with VI's)?

 

I start the car, and roll out of the garage which stays above 50 degrees even in winter. If I park outside, I wait for the windows to defrost, then go! I drive easy on the residential streets, and by the time I get to the highway, the car has been running for about 5 minutes. At that point on, I don't hold back...

 

i have read in manuals, even for other cars, to let it warm-up for a minute. drive slow the first few minutes, once the temp climbs, you can drive normally.
warming the car for 5 minutes does not have any benefit, other than having a cozy ****-pit

 

i warm mine up all the time, no matter what the temp is outside....Remote start is to thank for that....

 

Guess there's no point for my remote start now. I get to jump into my cold leather seats, blow cold air for 1 min, and drive off.


arg.

 

^^^ Yes..waste of gas, time, engine wear to do anything else.

 

No, I don't, since I park in the garage. I might give it 30sec-1min if I parked it outside in cold weather for a little while at some point in the day...

 

My cars have always been garage kept which is a real blessing in the winter. But if its been below freezing for a few days I will still give the car a good 1-2 minute warm up.

 

Summer: I give it a minute or two before I take off. Take off meant by not going over 2k rpm.

Winter: Damn leather, I have to start it and sit there for 5 minute until the needle hit the C. Winter is a ***** in NYC. I have to put both my hands on the seat to warm my girl behind at one time.

P.s. How much is the labor to install a remote starter for a 4th gen?

 

As per the manual, at least 30 seconds to warm up the vehicle..if my memory serves me correct. With the Maxima, at least 1 minute before I move out of my driveway. With my commuter car, I start it, turn on the radio, radar detector and then off I go!