[knighthawk]

I remember a study showing that this almost does not help with warming up the car and that it would be better to start driving cold.

[DWW1990]

I think for most people it’s a matter of getting the car warm enough to get the heater blowing warm air. Which should only take a few minutes.

[Freedom4US]

Warming up the car isn’t for the benefit of the car, it’s for the benefit of ME.

It is true that an engine will warm up faster under load, but there’s more to it than that. The windshield, for one, needs defrosting when a car is parked outside.

Second, I don’t care whether something so trivial is illegal. Laws are for suckers, amply demonstrated in the last several decades.

Blow me.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

When the foam rubber in your seat is like a brick because it is so cold it is not better to start cold.

[eyedigress]

Ummm..... It does warm up the car, on the inside anyway. I’m not getting in until 75f has been attained.

[BobL]

“I remember a study showing that this almost does not help with warming up the car and that it would be better to start driving cold.”

Depends on your situation, but cars will warm up MUCH FASTER if they’re driven at a rate above stop-and-go, as opposed to sitting around doing nothing So I generally agree - punch the gas, even on a minor road, and the car will quickly heat up.