Technically, what would be the explanation for the following: "Do not allow the engine to warm up by leaving it running while the vehicle remains stationary. Instead, begin driving immediately at a moderate engine speed." (excerpt from the BWM manual).
Mike.
It means that you will be wasting fuel by letting your car idle stationery to warm up. You should drive off immediately 'caus ethere is no need to warm it up. It will warm up while you drive. Moderate engine speed just means not to use high revs while the temperature is still very low. Once a normal engine temp has been reached, you can ignore the moderate engine speed suggestion.
MW
Standard advice for all auto engines.
It wastes fuel to start a car and leave it idling in the driveway. Start it, and drive it in a sane and rational manner until it comes to full operating temp, then go crazy. That is what the manual is really saying.
It also reaches operational temperature far quicker when being driven.
In a recent sudden cold snap, I'd run out of de-icer, and decided to wait until the car defrosted the windows before driving off. Took about 10 minutes. Would have been half that if actually moving - gently as I do until the engine is hot.
It's about time BMW used electric screen heaters that are common on lesser Fords. ;-)
Don't know about you, but if I was to try to drive with iced up windows, I'm pretty sure I'd stack the car before they defrost!!! Having said that, it does provide some morbid entertainment- seeing cars with a pair of eyes peering through a mars-bar sized defrosted section of windscreen!!! Where will their journey end? a) their workplace, b) the hospital or c) the nearest river?
Absolutely. My mum has it on her Focus. It's a genius invention!
matt
Gotta love Southern California ...
I just use warm water from the hot tap or kettle (but not boiling!!)
The other point is that unless you are sitting in the car waiting for it to warm up, you are increasing the chances of it being stolen - many insurance companies will now not cover this type of theft claim!
Jason Russell
Ditto for lovely sunny South Africa
Warm water on very cold glass? It seems like that would lead to broken glass due to the thermal shock. Gotta love Southern California, where we don't have to learn about stuff like this.
Which bit? Some of it can get cold in winter, can it not?
DAS
For direct contact replace nospam with schmetterling
The alternative - since London isn't usually well below freezing - is to just use warm water to defrost things. But I had plenty of time that day, so simply sat in the car until it did the job itself.
I've heard that a frozen door lock can be quickly dealt with by discreetly pissing into it. Of course, that's going to be much easier for a man to do than a woman. Not that I've ever done that myself, of course.
Indeed a car is a good thing to have in Southern California, and it is a particularly good idea to get inside one during an earthquake or electrical storm.
No it's not. They are problematic, expensive to replace, give the window a tinted color, and render radar dectors useless. I hop BMW never uses those electric screen heaters. Just get a plastic ice scrape and scrape the ice off your windsheild. Richard
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