what is your cold start procedure?

[JdmPrncss]

I start up my car, walk back inside, iron my clothes for work, take a nice hot shower, have bread and tea, watch some morning cartoons, and when my car is warmed up... That's when I jump in and drive off.

You sir, are a smart man Marry me?

 

[iluvpho]

I'm brushing my teeth and making my lunch for the day while it's warming up. Sue me...I like to multi-task, save money and eat healthier, AND have good hygiene.

I have a remote start so they can't take my car regardless.

Oh and I dunno about you guys, but I know my car DEFINITELY drives MUCH smoother after I let it warm up. I think the 1 time I took off after starting it, it ran like s**t. I'll stick to my old fashioned ways and let her warm up.

same here. i noticed that in cold weather where i dont warm up, the shifts are so tough. the passengers boggle back and forth even though im trying my best to drive and shift smoothly.

yes i warm up until idle is about 1k rpm.

 

[toneekay]

You sir, are a smart man Marry me?

Only if you sex me up in the shower

 

[Vitaliy93]

warm up for about 3-5 minutes. Then take it easy till you get to the higher speed roads.

 

[SuperDanny]

my remote start is set for 15 minutes (usually have it set for 24) and even at 24 it is still on cold when i get out to the car, BUT it doesnt sound like s**t when i drive it and it runs smoother, also, if you notice the vtec will not turn on if it is too cold (engine temp), maybe those crazy engineers are on to something by not letting it turn on when the motor is too cold.....

 

[evilrilla2]

winter temperature gets around 50-60 degrees, i work night shifts so i get out when its freaking cold, foggy, and white smoke coming out my mouth. i get in the car, turn it on, get my s**t together (takes about 30 sec.) and drive off every time, been doing this for about 8 years, my car has 191,000 miles on it, and its still running strong! been having my baby since it had 86K.

 

[evilrilla2]

so check out this web page:

Warming Your Car in Winter Can Burn a Hole in Your Pocket

http://searchwarp.com/swa285196.htm

Basically, he says dont idle more than 30 seconds. your car driving will do all the warming it needs too. idleling for 5-10 minutes will be costly and useless. your car will warm up faster when drving than idle. also, newer cars do not have to be warmed up compared to older cars.

 

[evilrilla2]

turn key to accessories, beep 3 times for pump/relay, then start. let idle 10 mins. or i remote start and wait 10mins. i even do it in the summer. i don't think i've ever started the car and just gone.

read the article i posted, basically he calculates if you idle for 10 minutes two times a day, for a 120 days, you are letting your car idle for 40 hours. all you are doing is burning gas and going nowhere, thus KILLING your gas mileage and hurting your pocket. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. and doing something pointless....

 

[toneekay]

my remote start is set for 15 minutes (usually have it set for 24) and even at 24 it is still on cold when i get out to the car, BUT it doesnt sound like s**t when i drive it and it runs smoother, also, if you notice the vtec will not turn on if it is too cold (engine temp), maybe those crazy engineers are on to something by not letting it turn on when the motor is too cold.....

I remember leaving a friends house drunk one cold foggy night wayyy past midnight, I fired up the ole '98 Civic, strapped myself in, and took off down the street with the tach needle screeeeming vteccc yo! Hit like 9000 rpm and ripped it into second and third hitting like 100mph at the top of the third ooh wee!

 

[SuperDanny]

^^^ lol, although i dont condone driving drunk, thats naughty..... i got the visual in a movie like setting... the guy in the car (you hypothetically ) ripping down the road, cool music playing you in your mind is barreling down the road, cut scene to some one on the side of the road what they see is you driving down the road at 10 mph in 5th gear with the car chugging and you looking like your feeling like mario andretti.....

 

[JohnS.]

I ALWAYS let the fuel pump prime before turning the car on, whether it's summer or winter. Even though it's only in the 30's/40's right now, I get up at 5am for work so it's still cold as balls out. I let the car warm up for 5 minutes and by then, the needle is already to the line and the heat is nice and warm. Another 5 minutes of driving and it's fully warmed up and I actually turn the blower to the 1st mark and turn the heat to slightly past warm.

When it turns to winter and drops to 10-20 degrees, my car will usually fully warm up within 10-15 minutes. Before I changed my t-stat last year, it took damn near a half hour for my car to fully warm up in the winter.

 

[Puma]

OK all of you that quoted me are dumb, and I mean that as politely as possible. REREAD my post. I didn't stipulate saving GAS money. I said save money by making my friggin lunch..that was part of my multi task while the car is warming up.

Gas money isn't s**t to me. I spend not even $50 a MONTH total in fuel. I'll continue to let it warm up; esp when it gets -0* here.

 

[253eg]

I believe it is actually illegal in washington to let your car idle unattended.

It is. I've gotten a ticket for it lol.

I usually get ready, go out side, start the car up, run back in to grab all my usual everyday carries and hop back out. By that time idle is normal and drive it lightly till its at operating temp.

 

[Genuine Rolla]

I think someone forget to take into account the amount of time you're sitting at stoplight, crosswalk, etc where the car is idling...that'll be "burning" a hole in your pocket as well.


Reality check: We drive civics...they're great on a gas. We all know this.

 

[lowlife9]

i think you missed the point. a cold engine dumps more fuel and warming it by idling takes longer then driving .

 

[Ian123]

If i burn an extra 2 cents of fuel a day by letting my car warm up, I dont think its going to have a devastating effect on my cashflow. Im not agreeing with the people who let it idle for 10 minutes but 30 seconds to a minute seems like a good idea to me.

 

[sf22189]

Depends on how much snow or ice has accumulated on my car. I dig a way to the drivers door, hope in and start it, then clean the rest of the car off.

 

[mark pones]

let the fuel pump prime... sit for about 5 minutes sometimes 10... my car does not like cold start at all.

 

[Genuine Rolla]

i think you missed the point. a cold engine dumps more fuel and warming it by idling takes longer then driving .

who cares. It's a 1.6L for godsake. Not like we're letting a 5.7L V8 idle for a while.

 

[253eg]

Last night, my friend let his car idle to normal operating temp to move the car out the garage.