On Saturday, 30 December 2017 13:33:29 UTC-4, wrote:
On Sat, 30 Dec 2017 02:35:31 -0500, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote:

On 12/29/2017 9:06 PM, True North wrote:
On Friday, 29 December 2017 20:32:03 UTC-4, Mr. Luddite wrote:
On 12/29/2017 7:21 PM, Alex wrote:
Mr. Luddite wrote:

Rethinking my early morning Dunkin' Donuts run.

4 degrees F. right now with a wind chill of minus 5-10.


Got remote start on that Colorado?



Thankfully, yes. This morning I let it run through two complete, 10
minute warm up cycles before I ventured out. Temp had actually dropped
another degree to 3.

Below a certain temp the remote starter also automatically turns on the
seat heater which is nice. Makes a big difference!



From what I've read...warming up while sitting idling isn't good for the vehicle or the environment. They say it's better to drive away slowly for the first 5-10 minutes.
I have a dedicated long extension cord that I use to plug in the block heater. I bought an electric battery blanket also but haven't installed it yet.
An hour before I go anywhere on mornings below -10C, I throw the inside switch that controls 2 of my 3 outside plugs. The Highlander starts easily and warms up much faster.


Car manufacturers used to warn about idling a car for long periods
because it was bad for the catalytic converter. Don't know if that's
true anymore as remote starters in cold climates have become very
popular. I don't have a garage and when you use the remote start it
also turns on the windshield and rear window defroster full blast.
Without that benefit, I'd be sitting in the driveway for a while anyway
waiting to see where I was going.

In any event I only use it on these very cold mornings. My total drive
to and from the local Dunkin's is only 10 minutes and I like doing it
without freezing my ass off.

I can see why the rest of the world is ****ed at Americans. You ran
your car for a half hour to take a 10 minute drive for a cup of coffee
and a doughnut. Maybe Uber should deliver doughnuts ;-)

Bingo!
Up here money is a little harder to come by...is worth less and we're taxed higher on it. Items also cost more...from the original vehicle purchase to gasoline. It's very prudent and thrifty to think twice about wasting it.
"Waste not...want not!"