The only people that tell you that it's not a good idea to let your car warm up are tree huggers. They want your car to warm up faster (by driving it) so it gets out of the cold loop faster and you'll run a bit leaner quicker.

 

i let it warm up and i make sure my oil pressure is down to 25psi, that way i know its all the way warm and i figure by then the tranny is warm too, then i rip on her.

 

I let it warm up too but just for 2-3 minutes, It stutters if I try to accelerate too fastwhen cold

Im EFI btw [>:]

 

I usually let my car warm up, especially with how cold its been, sorta force of habit, I used to drive a 2bb 2.8L buick that even if it were 100 degrees out, it would stall unless its warmed up for a minute or two.... I hated that car.....

 

This is pretty much true for me too. I read a while ago in an auto magazine that letting newer cars warm is unnecessary. It said the engines are perfectly capable to operate just after being started as long as they are not driven hard until they are up to operating temp.

 

I agree here, 300K on my motor hasn't hurt it yet! Just drive easy till your up to temp.

 

this is very true in the last few years cars have been put together with such tight clearances that you dont need to let its really "warm up" just a few seconds to get the oil pressure up and your good to go. our cars are a little different they need to sit and warm up for a while. they will run like crap till they are warm. like i said youll get piston slap blow by and a whole mess of little things if you dont let it warm up at all

 

my car takes a couple minutes to reach peak oil pressure.

the gauge moves soooooo slow in the morning. i know the engine dosnt take that long to build pressure, the mechanical gauge is basicaly frozen though lol

usually idles a bit high on cold start. i know when the cars ready to move by listening to it lol.. im weird

 

take this info for what its worth but i am quoting my 05 ford focus manual verbatim. it is under the fuel ecomoy section of my owners manual

"warming up a vechile on cold mornings is not required and may reduce fuel economy"

with that said i have always heard the saying ford wouldn't have put it on the car if it wasn't needed right. well i don't think they would have put that in the manual unless they were absolutely positive it wouldn't hurt the car. i also agree that maybe this is a new thing that is in place since machining is alot different and better then it was 15-20 years ago.

reminds me of the same debate of if you need to break in a motor anymore or not. i have heard alot of statements and builders state that the rings no longer need to seat because of the new(well new 10 years ago) machining process and how much better they are.

for the record i am always easy on a new motor and if i see alot of frost on my window i will let it warm up for a couple minutes and take it easy until it is really warm.

 

I don't know Hack, I never let my Cobra warm up before driving it. It's a lil different to drive when it's cold because the idle doesn't hang but it's nothing that hurts the car, by the time i get out of my neighborhood it's just fine to drive.