The Myth:
Whenever you start your engine, particularly on cold days, you have to let it warm up to its normal temperature before driving or else it is bad for your car's engine.
The Reality:
As long as you're not flooring it everywhere you go, you can get going as soon as you turn the key. This myth comes from an understandable place: Various engine parts and oil do take some time to warm up before they can operate at full capacity. However, an idling engine takes much longer to warm up, so it ends up experiencing far more cold-start wear and tear than if you just hopped in and drove it.
Think about it: When your engine is idling, it's still producing power, so what difference does it make if that power is being used to move the car or just sitting there. Additionally, there are other parts of your car that also need warming up, like your transmission and wheel bearings, and those don't get any help until you actually get the thing moving.
Of course, this only applies to newer, fuel-injected cars. If you've got an old classic sitting out there, you can hang out in the parking lot or driveway for a while.
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