All Wheel Driver

to get up to temp, it will still take 5 minutes more of driving after the water temp is up.

I was just pointing out that the oil temp is more important than the water temp as far as fully warming up the engine.

Now as far as letting the car idle in your driveway, it's good for warming the engine, but the transmission, driveshafts, bearings, differentials, and any other rotating assembly is still cold.
That's why to fully warm everything up, it's best to drive the car gently.

What you do is fine, you get a nice warm car to get into, but just remember not everything mechanical is warmed up.

Avantadrive_Original

I tend to shift pretty low on cold mornings, but good to know I should still do that even if the car has warmed up in the drive for a few minutes first. I hate the freezing cold car, somehow it feels colder in there than it does outside.

icu2cop

learned a few things from reading this thread. I was under the impression that the needle tells all. good to know.

icu2cop

then read the body. haha funny stuff.