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Is it actually bad for the engine? I presumed that stressing a cold engine while driving is worse than just letting it idle. I have a 2018 car and it gives a warning light if the engine is cold. At the very least it makes scraping take half the time.

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Yes, according to the manufacturer of one of my cars, idling the cold eninge should be avoided - considerate driving quickly after starting the cold engine should be considered instead.

The argumentation in the manual is that the car won't reach operational temperatures for a longer time while idling. New efficient motors apparently idle very efficiently (surprise?), which generates not enough heat.

I see. My old 2000 acura would idle another 1000 rpm higher when it was cold, maybe to warm it up faster. Some new cars seem to shut off completely at a stop until you hit the throttle.

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