Tips Archives - Heaths Auto Service - Cottonwood

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The way you take care of your car becomes even more important as the weather gets colder and winter sets in. When it's cold outside, people often wonder if they should warm up their cars before going. In short, yes. Sure, but not for too long. There are many good reasons to warm up your car in the winter. Let's look at how to do it right. Why getting your car warm is important for keeping your engine safe. The oil in your car's engine gets thicker when it sits in cold weather, which makes it harder for the engine to work right. Leaving your car to sit for a short time makes sure that the oil gets to all the parts that need it, which keeps the engine from wearing out too quickly. Better performance The performance of your car is affected by cold weather, especially when it comes to gas mileage and speed. When you warm up your car, the engine can hit its best operating temperature. This makes the gas mileage better and puts less stress on parts like the spark plugs and fuel injectors. Making safety and comfort better When you get your car warmed up, the windows defrost faster and the inside is warmer for you and your guests. For safe winter driving, you need to be able to see clearly, and a warm house makes those cold mornings a little easier to handle. The Right Way to Get Your Car Warm It's important to let your car warm up, but current cars don't need to sit idle for long periods of time. These are the best ways to do things: Nothing to do for 30 seconds to two minutes Most cars only need to idle for 30 seconds to a minute for the oil to move around the engine. In very cold weather, no more than two minutes should be enough. First, drive slowly. When you're ready to drive, don't go too fast or stop quickly until your engine is fully warmed up. This lets the car get to the right temperature without putting it under extra stress. Do not idle too much. Allowing a car to idle for a long time wastes fuel and hurts the earth. Over time, it can also cause carbon to build up in your engine. Myths About Getting Your Car Warm Myth: You need to do nothing for at least 10 minutes. These days, motors are made to warm up quickly. Idling for long periods of time is not needed and can hurt the car more than help it. Myth: You shouldn't start driving right away. Moving your car soon after starting it is fine as long as you drive slowly. Myth: Warming up helps only older cars. Older cars with carbureted engines did need more time to start up, but even newer cars can use a short idling period when it's cold outside. Last Thoughts To get your car warm in the winter, you need to find the right mix. A short amount of idle time followed by light driving will get your car ready for winter while saving gas and cutting down on pollution. These tips will not only keep your car safe, but they will also make driving in the winter better.

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