Quote:
Originally Posted by rogueGTI
Agree that we shouldn’t warm up too long., and the comments on this thread makes sense.
However doesn’t this then make the remote engine start kinda counterproductive/redundant?
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Not necessarily. It depends upon climate conditions.
Sometimes -- mostly on road trips -- I've left cars outside in winter weather. (See pic of 2006 GTO.)
Long story short it takes 5+ minutes of idle time with the heater set to defrost to help get the glass clear enough to safely operate the car.
In the mean time I'm sitting in a pretty cold car save for the times I am outside giving the windows a scrape. In this case remote start would allow the driver to warm up the car help melt any snow/ice on the car's glass so the driver then spends less time in the cold.
And hopefully it is less common for someone to take off in the car with the windows not yet properly cleared.
The flip side is when the car is parked outside in hot weather. Sure not every place is as hot as Death Valley but there have been reports of tourists there getting into their car and with shorts on and experiencing some pretty painful burns from the hot dark colored upholstery. Leather or man made coverings.
While I have not been in Death Valley a number of times my cars have been parked in CA direct sunlight for a number of hours and even through my long pants I can feel the heat. Women in shorts or dresses really complain and shift around in the seat to reduce the discomfort.
Remote start would give the A/C (and is fitted ventilated seats) time to cool the interior to a tolerable/safe level.
(Rather than use remote start to cool the car I found putting a loose cushion on the passenger seat took the direct sunlight keeping the seat bottom cool. Then when the passenger gets in the car she stands the cushion upright against the seat back and sits on the cooler seat bottom.)
The bit to avoid idling the engine after start is applicable to the majority of drivers and their cars' condition.
And it also clearly is applicable to how the car should be treated when it is being emissions/fuel economy tested. Yes, this testing only happens once per new model but there is considerable value in "gaming" the system (legally so and not like VW did it) to improve the final numbers.