Short journeys - how much engine damage do they cause?

[EK993]

My commute to work is around 2.5 miles each way. The oil temp gauge gets to a fairly respectable level by the time I arrive - circa 190F, so about 90C, although the outside temperature is still fairly hot here, mid 20's to 30deg so that helps temps build up quickly.

With modern engine oils am I still causing a lot of wear to the engine? Car is an E92 335i

[AndrewW-G]

Unless you need to transport something with you (Children etc) wouldn't you be better buying a bicycle?

[davepoth]

It'll be harder on the engine - it takes the oil a bit longer to get working properly, certainly the 5 minutes or so you are driving isn't enough. As has been said, get a bike.

[Timberwolf]

In my experience, the engine will be fine. But you'll go through exhausts like nobody's business.

[EK993]

Bike isn't really an option - I am in the US and people don't cycle here, I would be dead within weeks! Plus the winters are very harsh with heavy snowfall from November through to March.

There really are very few options to driving - as is the problem with America. No public transport system to speak of as an alternative either.

[alfa pint]

My missus used to drive 1.1 miles each way to work, despite my nags. Fair enough when she was working late nights, but not on the 8 til 4 watch.

Checked the oil prior to us doing a proper journey and saw the old mayonnaise round the dipstick and panicked about HGF. Asked her if she'd overheated the car by accident at any point recently. "Overheated?" she says, "It barely gets out of the blue."

So yes, short journeys wreck your oil and therefore your engine in due course and your non stainless steel exhausts / catalytic converters because they never get up to proper running temperature.

[RDE]

EK993 said:

No public transport system to speak of as an alternative either.

Just like Wales then really.

[y282]

interesting read... i'm about to change work locations starting tomorrow and the journey will see my car JUST get up to full oil operating temp + an extra 2 or 3 mins of driving per day (it's an evo e36 m3). should i be worried about engine/cat damage?

Edited by y282 on Monday 30th August 16:51

[CO2000]

i was thinking about this very thing at the weekend (on my near 2 mile commute) and wondered if the old "don't bother heating your car engine up, just drive it from cold" old wives tail still holds true (esp for low mpg engines)

[jbi]

probably a lot more relevant 30 years ago than compared to modern high tolerance engines and oils.

Wear and tear will be worse... but engine will still probably outlast the rest of the car

[kambites]

I'm not convinced that they do the car massively more harm per journey than long trips. They obviously do a lot more damage per mile, though.

[Munter]

For short commutes like that an electric car is ideal. Tesla?

[EK993]

Munter said:

For short commutes like that an electric car is ideal. Tesla?

Actually an electric car is a very sensible suggestion, and one I didn't think of when I bought the BMW.

A Tesla is around $100,000 here though so would have to be something a little less exotic!

[kambites]

A plug-in hybrid would do the same job on that kind of trip, plus you could use it for longer journeys if you wanted to.

[blueST]

My commute exactly 2.5 miles, same as OP. Had my car over 4 years (38000 miles), it doesn't use any oil and I don't get any mayo, although it does usually get long runs on my days off. Original exhaust still in tact too. The only thing I worry about is that during the winter It doesn't appear to clear all of the corrosion from the disks.

[rudecherub]

How about a preheater?

http://www.kenlowe.co.uk/pre-heaters/cars/index.ht...

May even be a bonus on those cold mornings.

[AJS-]

Start the car and let it idle for a couple of minutes to get the oil pumped around before you drive to work. It's having a big load on a cold engine that really does the damage, whether you drive 2 or 200 miles.

[Olivera]

EK993 said:

Bike isn't really an option - I am in the US and people don't cycle here, I would be dead within weeks! Plus the winters are very harsh with heavy snowfall from November through to March.

There really are very few options to driving - as is the problem with America. No public transport system to speak of as an alternative either.

2.5 miles can be run in 20 mins, or cycled in under 10...

[EK993]

Olivera said:

2.5 miles can be run in 20 mins, or cycled in under 10...

As mentioned before, the road infrastructure here isn't set up for cyclists, cars are driven by lunatics, you don't see people on bike's here. With very consistent heavy snofwall, ice and temperatures around -10 in Winter it simply isn't an option, the same for running. Infact there are no sidewalks to run on.