The lesser of which evil... help me choose

The lesser of which evil... help me choose

Poll: The lesser of which evil... help me choose

Total Members Polled: 67

Get car to temp first and then drive off...: 3%
Dont worry about it life's too short : 97%
Author
Discussion

NWTony

2,847 posts

227 months

Friday 19th September 2014
quotequote all
During winter take the scenic route so it has longer to warm up, although I'm surprised that it gets warmn enough on any conditions in 1.4 miles. Coolant temperature is not the same as engine temperature.

Either way don't sit with it idling.

Devil2575

13,400 posts

187 months

Friday 19th September 2014
quotequote all
trickywoo said:
Get a push bike or walk you lazy barsteward.
This biggrin

Devil2575

13,400 posts

187 months

Friday 19th September 2014
quotequote all
RC1 said:
you're right I should but im not getting in and out of 2 sets of clothes for that and cycling would be almost as suicidal as walking
Walking 1.4 miles to the station would be suicidal?

Where do you live? Beriut?

Conscript

1,378 posts

120 months

Friday 19th September 2014
quotequote all
Why not drive to the next station along the line?

Gives the car a bit more time to warm up, might possibly save a fraction on your train fare?

gizlaroc

17,251 posts

223 months

Friday 19th September 2014
quotequote all
Conscript said:
Why not drive to the next station along the line?

Gives the car a bit more time to warm up, might possibly save a fraction on your train fare?
Or into work, think of the money you would save on train tickets!

markCSC

2,987 posts

214 months

Friday 19th September 2014
quotequote all
Moped! Job done

andy-xr

13,204 posts

203 months

Friday 19th September 2014
quotequote all
Ours isnt the place to tell the OP whether he should change his mode of transport. His choice

I can say though that I've done many short trips and you'll need to up the oil change frequency or look at a 'better' type of oil for the sort of driving you're doing. The temperature gauge is measuring coolant temp not oil, which normally takes 2-3 times as long to get up to temperature. Basically you're running the engine on cool oil, which is thick and gloopy and not great at doing what it's supposed to do

Benbay001

5,794 posts

156 months

Friday 19th September 2014
quotequote all
Unless someone is about to completely correct my understanding then turning a car off before it gets warm isnt the issue.
Its running it with thick, cold oil that causes wear.
Letting it warm up will still result in just as much cold running but with added "warm" wear for no extra use.

ORD

18,086 posts

126 months

Friday 19th September 2014
quotequote all
Jet pack?

Hovering skateboard?

Devil2575

13,400 posts

187 months

Friday 19th September 2014
quotequote all
Benbay001 said:
Unless someone is about to completely correct my understanding then turning a car off before it gets warm isnt the issue.
Its running it with thick, cold oil that causes wear.
Letting it warm up will still result in just as much cold running but with added "warm" wear for no extra use.
Letting the car get fully warm also drives off condensation from the engine. If you don't let it warm up properly this can build up causing a whiye sludge type deposit similar to that seem with a blon head gasket. This was an issue on BMW M54 6 cyclinder engines in particular. This results in oil contamination.


RC1

Original Poster:

4,096 posts

218 months

Friday 19th September 2014
quotequote all
andy-xr said:
Ours isnt the place to tell the OP whether he should change his mode of transport. His choice

I can say though that I've done many short trips and you'll need to up the oil change frequency or look at a 'better' type of oil for the sort of driving you're doing. The temperature gauge is measuring coolant temp not oil, which normally takes 2-3 times as long to get up to temperature. Basically you're running the engine on cool oil, which is thick and gloopy and not great at doing what it's supposed to do
thank you

although im still enjoying the witty comments so happy to let them run

more seriously though.... not taking the car is not an option and im not really bothered about the economics and I have a very nice slot at the car park so its always safe...

i was curious about how long the oil takes to get to temp and never realised it could be 3 times as long as the coolant but makes perfect sense... the geek in me wants to take out my computer so i can get the data from the obd port next time i do a run but that would be step too far...

the manufacturer spec is a 0/30 fully synthetic which is what i use.

im thinking the only way around this is to take a scenic route

J4CKO

41,280 posts

199 months

Friday 19th September 2014
quotequote all
RC1 said:
trickywoo said:
Get a push bike or walk you lazy barsteward.
you're right I should but im not getting in and out of 2 sets of clothes for that and cycling would be almost as suicidal as walking
1.4 miles, hardly worth getting a bike out let alone specific clothing, a bike with mudguards and a coat would do, or just use the car when its raining ?


How come not taking the car is not an option ?

furtive

4,498 posts

278 months

Friday 19th September 2014
quotequote all
Why not buy a small cheap shed for the station run and stop worrying about damage to your main car?

Ozzie Osmond

21,189 posts

245 months

Friday 19th September 2014
quotequote all
Indeed. A "snotter" is the way to go.

Sensibleboy

1,141 posts

124 months

Friday 19th September 2014
quotequote all
Fiat Seicentos were made for drives to the station.

giger

732 posts

193 months

Friday 19th September 2014
quotequote all
Put better oil in with better cold start properties? Might look after your engine a bit better?

RC1

Original Poster:

4,096 posts

218 months

Friday 19th September 2014
quotequote all
giger said:
Put better oil in with better cold start properties? Might look after your engine a bit better?
this merits consideration but with such a low viscosity already im not sure what else to do...

i think i need to get more scientific!

reason i need to drive is there is a gradient pretty much all the way with no pavement and fairly semi rural so lots of flora and fauna to deal with

getting a snotter would be more trouble than its worth and my little indulgence before and after work is a great way to ease me into and out of the working day...

im probably worrying about something relatively trivial.. the cars done 65k miles and ill probably be shot of it before i put 10k on it

hidetheelephants

23,739 posts

192 months

Saturday 20th September 2014
quotequote all
Devil2575 said:
trickywoo said:
Get a push bike or walk you lazy barsteward.
This biggrin
This you lazy git.

vx220

2,689 posts

233 months

Saturday 20th September 2014
quotequote all
t400ble said:
Buy an MX5 for the station trip
Buy a mapped 330d (or is it a mapped 530d?) and drive all the way to work?

I see loads of people walking in suits with trainers on...

eltax91

9,842 posts

205 months

Saturday 20th September 2014
quotequote all
Buy a Bluetooth obd dongle and stick torque on an android device. Then you will have your oil temp to see when it does get up to temp and you'll know how long the scenic route needs to be