At Harold's Used Auto Parts Inc in Philadelphia, PA, our goal is to provide you with the best service and automotive information on the market. No matter what type of car, truck, or SUV you drive, we have the goods you need.

Today’s topic; “warming up” your car. For many of us, this is an excuse to let the car get warm before going out in the cold, by letting the engine idle for a few too many minutes while we finish getting ready to go. We say we’re warming up the car, which we think is good for it, but this is the automotive equivalent of “letting the dishes soak” before washing them - some part of you knows it isn’t true.

Many of you may be thinking, “hold on...I do sincerely believe in letting my engine warm up, my dad always told me to.” To which we say, he’s kind of right, sort of. In the olden days, your car did need a little warm up time. Oil wasn’t that great, carburetors didn’t work that well, and so on.

However, in the modern era of computer control and fuel injection, the fact of the matter is your car doesn’t need to warm up, at least not for as long as you might think. It’s not a bad idea to let the car run for about 30 seconds before starting off, so components have time to get moving and lubricated. Anything over that is really just a waste of fuel.

There is one small exception; turbocharged vehicles. It is recommended that you allow a little warm up time for the turbo...but again, just a minute or so will suffice.

No matter your repair or maintenance needs, trust the technicians who know their stuff. For the best auto service shop in Philadelphia, PA, call or stop by Harold's Used Auto Parts Inc today.