Is it bad to leave my car idling?

[Robez93]

My winter beater is a 530iM thats 173000 miles young. I work valet and sometimes if its really cold I'll sit in my car while its idling, sometimes for a couple hours. Is this bad for it in any way? Just wondering, I want the M60 in it to stay running strong and problem free :)

[Htay9500]

It shouldn't take no more than 5 minutes for the car to be completely warmed up. You're going to be wasting gas and hurting the engine for leaving it on like that for 2 hours.

[Robez93]

It shouldn't take no more than 5 minutes for the car to be completely warmed up. You're going to be wasting gas and hurting the engine for leaving it on like that for 2 hours. Well it gets cold pretty quickly when its 5 degrees out -__- if its bad for it though ill just freeze i guess

[RobertFontaine]

Block heater. Plug in for 10 minutes prior to starting.

[General Geoff]

There's nothing inherently damaging about letting a car idle, but it IS running the car, and it is wear & tear. If you idle the car for hours at a time pretty often, I'd suggest installing a Hobbs meter (aka hour/runtime meter). Then you can run your scheduled maintenance based on hours the car has been run, instead of just mileage. Also keep a close eye on your coolant system and temp gauge.

[RobertFontaine]

Once it gets down to -50 or so it's best to just keep it running ;)

[T444E]

If you had a diesel I could make a case for it being bad. But on a gasser?

https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/426995323987189760/T1GCECYo.jpeg

[Robez93]

I understand its wear and tear, I just wanted to be sure letting it idle for a while wasn't going to eventually lead to it's demise for whatever reason. I don't plan on making it a habit, maybe in a month it won't go down to single digits at night and I wont need my car for warmth 😊

[zubbie]

are you running it to keep yourself warm?

Idling is probably the least damaging thing you can do to it. just change the oil a little more often.

I'd say get an inside job (or a warmer coat)

[MacLoGoS]

If the car breaks from letting it idle then it has other issues. I have never heard that you can damage a car by letting it idle. I wouldn't worry about it. My buddy let's his car idle for hours at a time and has never had issues.

[SpeedsterBek]

You engine will be fine. As long as everything working (especially cooling system) you shouldn't worry about it. I believe according to a owners manual, after prolonged idling or traffic jam, you need to keep the revs above 3.5-4k for several miles to burn off crap

It's just a car, let alone a winter beater. I wouldn't freeze myself even if it was bad for the engine.

[ross1]

It won't hurt it to idle. As mentioned be mindful of the temp as small problems like a sloppy fan clutch that won't show up while driving might cause an overheat in a stationary car.
In carbureted cars of old it was considered severe use to idle for extended periods but I suspect that was because of concerns for an over rich idle mixture and combustion gasses/soot contaminating the oil. More frequent oil changes were recommended then and it wouldn't hurt now.
Police, taxi, etc. idle forever without problems, usually.

[grn530i]

I don't see any problem. It takes a while for my 530i's temp gauge to get in the middle with the weather we've been having. I could run it for 10 minutes and it would still only be at a quarter. An hour seems like a huge waste though.

[jphjones]

Spend that gas money on a jacket and a box of candles. Crack the window. The wear and tear and gas will cut into your pay cheque.

[SW530]

If the car is otherwise in good condition letting it idle isn't an issue beyond requiring more frequent oil changes, maybe the BMW version of a severe duty schedule.

HOWEVER, before you do this too often (read even once) get your exhaust system checked for holes, make sure there are no breeches into your cars interior, and you're not backed up into a snow bank that may block your exhaust. More than a few people die each year from idling the car to stay warm only to wake up dead because of such a breech. Especially on old cars..

[Matt Z]

If the car is otherwise in good condition letting it idle isn't an issue beyond requiring more frequent oil changes, maybe the BMW version of a severe duty schedule.

HOWEVER, before you do this too often (read even once) get your exhaust system checked for holes, make sure there are no breeches into your cars interior, and you're not backed up into a snow bank that may block your exhaust. More than a few people die each year from idling the car to stay warm only to wake up dead because of such a breech. Especially on old cars..

hahaha

[tommramon]

Doesn't hurt a thing,been doing it for years. Besides, cars are like people they don't just like to get up and run like mad when they're cold. Takes my 528 about 35 minutes to reach the 12 o'clock point, no probs.

[Robez93]

You engine will be fine. As long as everything working (especially cooling system) you shouldn't worry about it. I believe according to a owners manual, after prolonged idling or traffic jam, you need to keep the revs above 3.5-4k for several miles to burn off crap It's just a car, let alone a winter beater. I wouldn't freeze myself even if it was bad for the engine.

Dont worry my engine sees redline multiple times on the 2:30am ride home 😁 cooling system was just overhauled by myself as well..

[jfs356]

Cop cars idle for hours everyday for years, most run just fine when being sold at a later date.

[PorscheH6]

At the end of the day a B30 is a $300 engine. Beat the **** out of it.

[Trasportador]

At the end of the day a B30 is a $300 engine. Beat the **** out of it.

And a b40 can be had for $500. As said, take care of yourself first, the car is repairable.

[Binjammin]

It won't hurt it to idle. As mentioned be mindful of the temp as small problems like a sloppy fan clutch that won't show up while driving might cause an overheat in a stationary car.
In carbureted cars of old it was considered severe use to idle for extended periods but I suspect that was because of concerns for an over rich idle mixture and combustion gasses/soot contaminating the oil. More frequent oil changes were recommended then and it wouldn't hurt now.
Police, taxi, etc. idle forever without problems, usually.

Right on. I wouldn't let a beater e34 idle for long enough to overheat, because a beater e34 will do just that.

[ross1]

Doesn't hurt a thing,been doing it for years. Besides, cars are like people they don't just like to get up and run like mad when they're cold. Takes my 528 about 35 minutes to reach the 12 o'clock point, no probs.
35 min to warm, in Texas! No Problem? You, sir, need a thermostat.

[Hoolie]

Put on some clothes

[trive2]

Right on. I wouldn't let a beater e34 idle for long enough to overheat, because a beater e34 will do just that.

Hahaha spot on. In any BMW, a moth could land on a tree next to your car, and that would be reason enough for it to overheat. I wouldn't leave any BMW idling unless I was staring at the temp gauge the whole time.

[dizzythree]

Bad to leave cars idling period, really bad to leave them idling when cold. It's better to drive a car (conservatively) to get it up to operating temperature than to let it idle until it gets warm.

[Layne]

I've always heard the cats will overheat from no airflow. Not sure if that holds true when it's 5 degrees though. Personally I would never idle more than 15 minutes, regardless of temp.

[Binjammin]

I've always heard the cats will overheat from no airflow. Not sure if that holds true when it's 5 degrees though. Personally I would never idle more than 15 minutes, regardless of temp.

Maybe in 1972 with old pellet type cats, no chance of that on anything even remotely modern like an e34.

[ARMAN]

I thought it was written in cars manual not to let car idle for a longer period of time, not sure if it was for e34, but at -5(fahrenheit i suppose) I'd care less about that. Get yourself thermal underwear or even cotton long sleeve undershirt and leggings make a huge difference in cold, this might be helpful http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVQ0KcHjZrY

[Hoolie]

For standing around you want good shoes/boots and some nice socks. Multi layer is the key..

[Trasportador]

For standing around you want good shoes/boots and some nice socks. Multi layer is the key..

Or, a bottle of Johnny Walker double black, and some clean dry knickers. ....

[Hoolie]

Or, a bottle of Johnny Walker double black, and some clean dry knickers. ....

Booze is the last thing you need.. Makes you cool down faster and you freeze even more :D

[trive2]

Booze is the last thing you need.. Makes you cool down faster and you freeze even more :D

You take that BACK! Booze is NEVER the last thing you need.

You might be cooling down faster, but you'll feel all lovely and warm!