Snuggling up to performance, warming up your car is more than a comfort on chilly mornings. Photo courtesy of senior Roman Engelmeier.

   Countless people drive cars, and many San Luis Obispo High School students do too; letting your car warm up before driving is more fundamental than you may think. A vast majority of people who drive, do not let their car warm up prior to driving it. 

  You may or may not be aware of why letting your engine run for a few minutes is important before driving. As a SLOHS student myself, I almost rarely ever let my car warm up before going places. It’s not a good habit to possess.

  “You need to warm your car up so that there is time for the internal engine components to expand to their proper fit.  When they are fit and warmed up, they do not wear as much,” said SLOHS automotive teacher Jeff Lehmkuhl. 

  Your car’s engine is made from metal. When metal is cold, it is extremely condensed, meaning the spaces between each engine part are larger than they should be. Letting the metal expand prior to driving is highly beneficial for multiple reasons.

  “If you don’t warm your engine up a minimum of two to three minutes, your engine will begin to consume oil due to engine wear,” said Lehmkuhl.

  Having a fully warm car reduces wear and tear on the engine. On top of that, having your car ready to drive at its preferred fuel-efficient temperature is very important, especially for short trips. 

  Even though it may seem like a dread turning your engine on and letting it run a few minutes before you leave to go somewhere, the opportunity cost makes it beyond worth it.

  Less engine wear, longer lasting parts, and a higher fuel economy; a trade off that will benefit you in the long run.