Exact number of minutes you should let your car warm up revealed – saving you thousands
AN MOT mechanic has revealed exactly how long you should let your car warm up – and it could save you thousands.
Craig, who works at Walsall Wood Tyre & Service in Walsall, West Midlands, shared the handy hack on TikTok.
As the weather turns cold, he advised drivers to let their motors become accustomed to low temperatures before trying to put their foot down.
Craig said: “Five to ten minutes of letting the engine idle would be more than enough to get heat into the engine and try and reduce that initial engine wear.
“Remember folks that 90% of engine damage occurs in the first five minutes of idling.”
And failing to properly warm up could be costly due to that very fact.
If you don’t let your engine idle for a short time and instead just try and go from cold, it can put increased strain on some vital systems.
Warming it up allows time for the oil, brake fluid and transmission fluid to heat and flow around the system before activating the moving components.
This lubricates the engine better and prevents excess wear and tear on key parts like the pistons and clutch.
In effect, it can extend the life of the engine and gearbox, saving you on hefty repair bills.
It could even save you thousands as, if the extra stress of a cold start causes significant damage, a full engine replacement can cost upwards of £1,000 a pop.
Craig also advised that the amount of time required to warm up will depend on factors like the size of your engine and the weather that day.
Large engines or particularly cold conditions may require you to stretch more towards the ten-minute end of the scale.
Thankfully, he explained that you can get your motor winter-ready for a bargain price by taking advantage of Walsall Wood’s special offer of a £1 check.
The link to book a test at their Walsall Wood site can be found on their website, while you can also look around online for similar deals if you live too far away.
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