How long do you guys let your car warm up?

[repenttokyo]

that is interesting, probably you should open a complete new thread for that in extreme cold areas.

For example: who is using a heating pad? Is this one the best or what is everybody using?
http://www.padheaters.com/index.html
http://www.dieselproducts.com/proheat/padheater.html
http://www.wolverineheater.com/engin...ting-pad.shtml
http://www.jegs.com/p/Moroso/745633/10002/-1

never seen one of these in my life. people generally use block heaters instead.

[uscharalph]

My car warms up as long as it takes me to close the garage door, plug in my ipod and gps and buckle my seat belt. LOL!!!!

[BMWDriver]

Having an old engine with high mileage , I hear a rattle at start, until I press the pedal a bit or until a few moments on. I figure the engine gets well oiled after sitting for a few days that way. So I always give it a good 30 seconds to two minutes and gear in, then gently go off, and follow advice read here of keeping it below 3000 rpms for the first few minutes of drive.

As far as temperature goes, this is why I have 5W40 synthetic oil in there : for extreme cold conditions we have on occasion. The car has never failed to start even after a few days of this extreme cold. It has also never shown more difficulty to start than at any other times below freezing point. It works a bit harder to start than in autumn or summer of course.

I lost power once in minus 30 C at idle, the engine coughing at an intersection, but just for a few moments because I compensated by giving gas. The rest of the trip went fine.

My mechanic's advice is that a well oiled engine will last very long. He used to have an e34 also that he had sold when it had reached about 440 000 kms.

This M50 engine never ceases to surprise and please me. It delivers brilliantly when I feel sporty, once warmed up with care from me.

[Russell]

No real warm up. However, I seldom see cold temperatures below zero. I just drive gently until warmed up.

[Bo525i]

I never warm up mine, however I keep it under 3000 rpms till it´s warm tho something like 15-20 mins or so..

[Ferret]

These days, it's however long it takes the right bank to stop rattling... 2 maybe 3 minutes after startup before the tappets prime.

Think it's time to change the oil pump :/

[Tiger]

Extreme cold climate zone use difffernt technique... Use super thin oil... like 0W20... the also use engine block heater... sometime also transmission pan heater before they start up the car. Always have the heater hooked up when parking for extended time.

Differenty type of grease is also used whenever possible.

If no place to plug in, just keep the engine running... even if all night long, or you will have to wait half a day inside a garage for your entire car to defrost.

[repenttokyo]

Extreme cold climate zone use difffernt technique... Use super thin oil... like 0W20... the also use engine block heater... sometime also transmission pan heater before they start up the car. Always have the heater hooked up when parking for extended time.

Differenty type of grease is also used whenever possible.

If no place to plug in, just keep the engine running... even if all night long, or you will have to wait half a day inside a garage for your entire car to defrost.

extreme cold climates never turn vehicles off. i'm talking extreme, like Alert.

[Ferret]

extreme cold climates never turn vehicles off. i'm talking extreme, like Alert.

The Russian public busses are left idling overnight during the winter months or they wont start... if one stalls out during the night they have to build a fire under the engine bay to get it warmed up to startup temperatures!

[repenttokyo]

The Russian public busses are left idling overnight during the winter months or they wont start... if one stalls out during the night they have to build a fire under the engine bay to get it warmed up to startup temperatures!

yeah it's so !