WORK SMARTER NOT HARDER:  Should You Warm Up Your Car in the Winter?

Is it necessary to warm up your car in cold weather?  It was, in the old days; but not so much anymore…  That’s because our modern cars don’t really need to warm up, like their predecessors.  There are exceptions, though.

The AAA says you only need to let the engine run for about 30 seconds, or as long as it takes you to get situated and buckled up, before driving.  That will provide enough time for the oil to circulate.  But, in extreme cold, or with an older vehicle, a few minutes of warm-up will help.

AutoZone notes that some states and cities have laws which restrict the practice, for environmental reasons.  Some even carry fines, in excess of $1,000.

Worth noting:  Electric cars should be kept plugged-in on cold days, when possible, as they have conditioning systems which can keep their batteries at the ideal operating temperature – and can also be programmed to heat the cabin, without any tailpipe emissions.  You don’t want deep-freeze temperatures to kill your battery.

The experts say the only time you should really consider an extended warm-up is if you’re having trouble scraping snow and ice off the windows before they’re defrosted.  But a good scraper and/or a can of remover can accelerate the process.

Warm up to more, here:  (Fox)

 

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