Do I need to warm up my engine before I drive in cold winter weather?

yes and yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

also alllllways!

Thank you all! I've always warmed it up before driving, but tonight, a girlfriend told me that she'd read that with the computerized cars of today, we really don't have to. She said that in fact, warming it up actually harms the car because when you just sit there ideling like that, that that cold oil is like sludge, and it is getting stuck as its trying to move through the engine, and that its best to drive gently at first as the car warms up. She said that warming up the car is about an old myth that was actually referring to older cars. I was just wondering what you all thought about it?

I believe I read that article, I think its a matter of opinion, they said in the article not so much oil being like sludge, because oil technology hads come a long way, but it was that since the motor is cold, the sensors have the air fuel mixer set to run rich until warmed up. They say the mixture depletes the oil off of the cylinder walls while idling during warm-up, causing piston ring & cylinder wall wear. So the article says to take off and drive, of course keep the rpm's down until warmed up. But personally I can't see doing that. I mean what about the trany & everything else? Makes it hard shifting on the trany when cold. I live in the cold also and still warm my vehicle up when its ben sitting outside over night. When its in my garage, not so much.

just run it for one minute- that should do it- enough time to get the oil warm-

A warmup in cold weather is always a good idea. I usually do 5 to 10 minutes.

15 minutes is too long., 5 minutes and then drive slowly until fully warmed up.

Use the winter weight oil recommended in your owners manual.