As winter approaches, it’s harder and harder to convince yourself to get out of your home a few minutes early to go sit into a cold car and wait for it to warm up before you leave. Most of us are sometimes guilty of getting into the car, firing it up, and leaving to get to your destination. But oftentimes, it’s common to hear people discussing the necessity of letting your car warm up before heading out. In lieu of the cold weather and these notions, we’re here to discuss.

Before explaining why, it’s important to know what goes on inside of your engine bay when you turn the car on. Knowing this is a key component into understanding the mechanics of your vehicle, and why maintenance is also very important.

Cold Starts

After turning the ignition, your engine will fire up, and the internal parts will begin to move. Because these engines are crafted from iron or aluminum, it’s important to understand that these parts, all being metal, should probably be lubricated in some way — which is where oil comes into play!

The oil added to your engine is meant to lubricate and keep your engine running exactly how it should during operation — but after sitting outside all night after you last turned it off, that oil’s temperature also drops, along with the rest of the car’s internals. When turning it on, this oil can be a bit thicker, which makes it a little more difficult to initially travel through the engine and properly lubricate specific areas.

Do I Need To Let The Car Warm Up?

It’s because of this, that when the temperature drops, you allow the engine to warm up for a minute or so, just to make sure that the components have begun to lubricate themselves, and the engine is running at normal performance.

Some of the ways around this include remote start systems, which will elminate the need to go outside to start the car — which can be great for those cold mornings.

If your car is due for a tune-up before the cold weather REALLY starts to hit us here in CT, make sure you take it to a shop that can perform work quickly, efficiently, and correctly the first time.

Southport Automotive is Fairfield County’s premier service station for all things Automotive. In business since 1981, we’ve helped get thousands of Connecticut residents back on the road faster, and for longer. To learn more about how we can help your vehicle stay in its best shape, please give us a call at 203-259-3839. For more tips and tricks, make sure to like us on Facebook!