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Car Forum / BMW Cars / October 2006REMOTE CAR STARTERS
I recently heard a discussion on remote car starters. One view is that when a car is started in cold weather, it should be driven within a minute or so. The opposing view is that you should let it sit for 5 minutes to warm up. Any views/insights out there? >I recently heard a discussion on remote car starters. One view is that > when a car is started in cold weather, it should be driven within a > minute or so. The opposing view is that you should let it sit for 5 > minutes to warm up. Any views/insights out there? The first (drive within a minute). In many states, it's illegal to warm up an unattended car (in WA state, for instance.) Additionally, the engine won't warm up as fast, which increases pollution - 90% of the pollution from a car happens at startup and during idling. And since the rest of the car (transmission, bearings, etc.) don't get warm, you are just wasting gas. FloydR The decision to drive or let it sit is driven by the cost of fuel. Why let a car sit and run at 1500 rpm for several minutes when one can use the same rpm's to get out of the neighborhood and half way to the freeway? The idea that one MUST let a car sit is an old wive's tale. A car rolling down the street taching along at 1500 is getting the same wear and tear as the one sitting motionless in the driveway at the same tach reading. The advantage of remote starting is that the car's heater can be switched on when one exits the vehicle, then with remote start the heater comes on and warms the cabin while you have toast and coffee. >I recently heard a discussion on remote car starters. One view is that > when a car is started in cold weather, it should be driven within a > minute or so. The opposing view is that you should let it sit for 5 > minutes to warm up. Any views/insights out there? >The idea that one MUST let a car sit is an old wive's tale. A car rolling >down the street taching along at 1500 is getting the same wear and tear as >the one sitting motionless in the driveway at the same tach reading. Exactly what the Car Guys say. They say thirty seconds is enough to get things fully lubed, and to get rolling. -- Larry > The advantage of remote starting is that the car's heater can be switched > on when one exits the vehicle, then with remote start the heater comes on > and warms the cabin while you have toast and coffee. IMHO, seat warmers are a must have on any car, after having them. My family says I must buy a 530xi rather than 330xi because you can get rear seat warmers... ;-> FloydR >> The advantage of remote starting is that the car's heater can be switched >> on when one exits the vehicle, then with remote start the heater comes on [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > My family says I must buy a 530xi rather than 330xi because you can > get rear seat warmers... ;-> You have it easy. My family won't let me live where seat warmers are a must. Can you imagine my stress living in constant sunshine and a moderate climate? Well, the sunshine isn't constant -- we do have nighttime here. > You have it easy. My family won't let me live where seat warmers are a > must. Can you imagine my stress living in constant sunshine and a > moderate climate? I sympathise. It's a beautiful crisp autumn day here in London.  Signature*A fine is a tax for doing wrong. A tax is a fine for doing well* Dave Plowman dave@davenoise.co.uk London SW To e-mail, change noise into sound. Not for much longer. Expect the temperature plunge by tomorrow... (You did the weather forecasts, didn't you?) DAS For direct contact replace nospam with schmetterling --- [...] > I sympathise. It's a beautiful crisp autumn day here in London. (You did SEE/HEAR the weather forecasts, didn't you?) DAS SignatureFor direct contact replace nospam with schmetterling --- > Not for much longer. Expect the temperature plunge by tomorrow... > [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] >> >> I sympathise. It's a beautiful crisp autumn day here in London. > The decision to drive or let it sit is driven by the cost of fuel. > [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > down the street taching along at 1500 is getting the same wear and tear as > the one sitting motionless in the driveway at the same tach reading. BMW tell me that my M3 is such a race-tuned machine that I should let it warm up in cold weather otherwise it'll drive really bad for the first mile or so... >> The decision to drive or let it sit is driven by the cost of fuel. >> [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > it warm up in cold weather otherwise it'll drive really bad for the > first mile or so... They are yanking your chain. To be fair, you should drive MODERATELY for the first mile or so (I suggest upwards of 5 miles or so), but I see no reason not to drive at all. You car might not perform well when cold, but if driven MODERATELY, you ought not notice that it isn't happy smoking the tires, and power drifting through corners. Wait, if driven MODERATELY, you won't be smoking the rubber and and scrubbing the lines off the road. >>> The decision to drive or let it sit is driven by the cost of fuel. >>> [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > drifting through corners. Wait, if driven MODERATELY, you won't be > smoking the rubber and and scrubbing the lines off the road. In 5 miles the coolant has barely begun to reach temperature and the oil is still cold. I'd give it longer (in "moderate" mode) before any thrashing, if it was my car. Signature-Fred W >BMW tell me that my M3 is such a race-tuned machine that I should let >it warm up in cold weather otherwise it'll drive really bad for the >first mile or so... Would not surprise me. Are they right? I know that's true on my Supra TT, another "thoroughbred" that lets you know it's not really happy until it's warmed-up. However, as others have said, driving it cold won't hurt it, just respect it's "desire" to be driven gently when cold. >>BMW tell me that my M3 is such a race-tuned machine that I should let >>it warm up in cold weather otherwise it'll drive really bad for the >>first mile or so... > >Would not surprise me. Are they right? I know that's true on my >Supra TT, BMWs, Fords, Toyotas, Hyundais - it makes no difference. If you regularly 'get on' an engine while it's cold, you're asking for trouble. Drive it gently until the oil's up to temperature. What's so difficult about that? Sheesh! SignatureDan. >>>BMW tell me that my M3 is such a race-tuned machine that I should let >>>it warm up in cold weather otherwise it'll drive really bad for the [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] >trouble. Drive it gently until the oil's up to temperature. What's >so difficult about that? Sheesh! Not bad advice, of course. But some motors run smoothly even when cold, while others do not, and night need an extra bit of care to avoid bucking or whatever. > The decision to drive or let it sit is driven by the cost of fuel. > [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > on when one exits the vehicle, then with remote start the heater comes on > and warms the cabin while you have toast and coffee. Many manufacturers specifically do *no* recommend idling an engine for extended periods of time, cold or hot. It prematurely chokes up the catalytic converter. Eisboch > Many manufacturers specifically do *no* recommend idling an engine for > extended periods of time, cold or hot. It prematurely chokes up the > catalytic converter. > > Eisboch I think there's a difference between getting into a cold car on "a crisp autumn morning" in the UK which is probably about 40F and getting into a cold snow/ice covered car in northern states when it's below zero F. Would I want (secure) remote starting in those conditions? Hell yeah, or rather, you betcha. >> Many manufacturers specifically do *no* recommend idling an engine for >> extended periods of time, cold or hot. It prematurely chokes up the [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > zero F. Would I want (secure) remote starting in those conditions? > Hell yeah, or rather, you betcha. Personally, I'd stay in bed. :-) Eisboch >>> Many manufacturers specifically do *no* recommend idling an engine for >>> extended periods of time, cold or hot. It prematurely chokes up the [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > Personally, I'd stay in bed. :-) LOL. That's not possible for everyone, some of us have important jobs to get to regardless of temperature and weather conditions. With that said, I have no plans to get a remote starter. A thick coat will do fine in my 535 with no heated seats or block heater. And I don't idle longer than the time it takes to scrape the ice off the side windows and windshield. > Eisboch Ulf For warming the engine coolant and the cabin, I had a Webasto diesel heater which was remote controlled - 600 mtrs said the brochure, but I didn't test it that far - could also set the blower on in summer to cool the car. Basically what it did was start an auxiliary "furnace", fuelled by the cars main diesel tank, which heated the engine coolant, and turned on the heating system blower. Apart from obvioulsy heating the coolant / engine block, it also heated the car interior. All needed to be pre-set but once done it did a very good job and I would have again if it were an option on my next, especially if I was then in colder climates. For southern UK though its almost not needed these days as global warming does it for us now... Nick
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