LANSING, Mich. — Those 5 to 10 minutes spent warming up the car in the morning can actually decrease the life expectancy of the car.
Idling a car in the cold for a long time not only wastes gas, but it's also stripping oil from parts that help your engine run like the cylinders and pistons.
However, there used to be some truth to letting a car idle.
Before the 1980's, cars had carburetor engines which needed those extra 10 minutes to warm the car up.
Mechanics say the fastest way to warm up a car's engine is to start driving, but be gentle with the gas pedal at first because you'll put unnecessary stress on your engine if you go racing down the road right away.
The Environmental Protection Agency says idling for 30 seconds actually uses more fuel than restarting it.
A lot of people warm up their car in the driveway before heading off to work in the morning, which became legal last year when former Governor Rick Snyder signed a bill allowing people to leave their car running unattended on private property.
The law came up after a Roseville, Michigan man ended up with a ticket after leaving his car idling in the winter of 2017.
While it might be tempting to leave your vehicle running, mid-Michigan police agencies say you're increasing the chances of having your car stolen.
