# What's better for the car? turning car off or letting idle?



## GrinsNgiggles (Oct 11, 2016)

when waiting for the next ping (which sometimes can be 30 minutes) is it better for the car to let it idle or turn it off? Idle = burning gas but turning it off and on = hard on the starter.


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## Shangsta (Aug 15, 2016)

It always depends on how long you are idling. More than 5 minutes I turn the car off. 

Less than 5 you are better off keeping it running. 

If you do turn it off don't forget to turn off your lights, radio. A tow guy told me he has to help a lot of Uber drivers who left something good running.


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## GrinsNgiggles (Oct 11, 2016)

Shangsta said:


> It always depends on how long you are idling. More than 5 minutes I turn the car off.
> 
> Less than 5 you are better off keeping it running.
> 
> If you do turn it off don't forget to turn off your lights, radio. A tow guy told me he has to help a lot of Uber drivers who left something good running.


That's just it. You never know how long you'll be waiting. So after sitting 5 minutes turn it off? See how much downtime I have? I can post and respond immediately


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## DocT (Jul 16, 2015)

I turn off engine and electrical. Sit and wait. Selects have a long wait time. X ants are always out and about nibbling on the 1.1x boost.


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## Maven (Feb 9, 2017)

I often turn off the car when I think I have to wait 5 minutes or more. Less that that, idling is offset by the large amount of fuel needed to restart the car. However, multiple starts in a short period of time can drain your battery. Also battery performance is degraded by sub-freezing weather. If it's under 25 degrees I do not turn off the car except to go to bathroom.


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## GrinsNgiggles (Oct 11, 2016)

Maven said:


> I often turn off the car when I think I have to wait 5 minutes or more. Less that that, idling is offset by the large amount of fuel needed to restart the car. However, multiple starts in a short period of time can drain your battery. Also battery performance is degraded by sub-freezing weather. If it's under 25 degrees I do not turn off the car except to go to bathroom.


Cold isn't a big issue here in Dallas  thanks for the input. Makes sense


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## steveK2016 (Jul 31, 2016)

Shangsta said:


> It always depends on how long you are idling. More than 5 minutes I turn the car off.
> 
> Less than 5 you are better off keeping it running.
> 
> If you do turn it off don't forget to turn off your lights, radio. A tow guy told me he has to help a lot of Uber drivers who left something good running.


Aaaaand thats why my battery is shot. Haha. I cant keep my car off with peripherals on for very long without killing my battery.


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## Shangsta (Aug 15, 2016)

GrinsNgiggles said:


> Cold isn't a big issue here in Dallas  thanks for the input. Makes sense


Yeah, I would also consider time of day. 12 pm? You know you might sit for a whole hour. Friday night at 7pm? You know you will be busy and that ping is coming any second


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## shiftydrake (Dec 12, 2015)

13 years in driving a taxi I own.....from the moment I get in and start my car I only turn off if going out of it for more than 5 mins......like fuel or bathroom......but if not my car constantly runs.......my mechanic brother told me that each time you start your car you do more damage than keeping it running.....plus burning more gas and he said with the electronics in today's cars it's better to let the alternator keep the car running instead of turning off and on all the time


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## Ali_NYC (Aug 1, 2016)

GrinsNgiggles said:


> when waiting for the next ping (which sometimes can be 30 minutes) is it better for the car to let it idle or turn it off? Idle = burning gas but turning it off and on = hard on the starter.


I couldn't decide which way is better and bought a hybrid.


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## Sgt_PaxHauler (Oct 21, 2016)

If you're doing exclusively passenger calls, it probably would be better to leave the car running whenever you're in it or near it. I do delivery as well, which means I put pretty high stress on my starter (I'm on starter #2 right now and I've only been working since October 2016) and battery.

(2/18/17 11pm update: I think I'm going to be on starter #3. I'm waiting on the prognosis from my mechanic.  )

The big killer with frequent restarts isn't necessarily the battery + starter. It's lubrication. When you start up an engine, typically the cylinders aren't lubricated with motor oil. Most of the wear on the engine is put on the engine on startup. (Again, this makes delivery especially harsh on engines.)

I'd like to see an engine mod that uses a backup electric oil pump that pressurizes & lubricates the engine before turning over the starter. Once the car's started, the electric oil pump shuts off and the main oil pump takes over. Such a setup could greatly increase the lifetime of conventional engines. Unfortunately, that doesn't make manufacturers more money than selling replacement cars every few years..


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## forqalso (Jun 1, 2015)

http://greenactioncentre.ca/healthy-travel/myth-2-its-better-to-idle-your-car-than-shut-it-off/


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## AuxCordBoston (Dec 3, 2016)

GrinsNgiggles said:


> when waiting for the next ping (which sometimes can be 30 minutes) is it better for the car to let it idle or turn it off? Idle = burning gas but turning it off and on = hard on the starter.


I have a Prius therefore it idles on the battery.


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## shiftydrake (Dec 12, 2015)

forqalso said:


> http://greenactioncentre.ca/healthy-travel/myth-2-its-better-to-idle-your-car-than-shut-it-off/


That's in Canada........and I will still sit there with my engine running regardless of what others think I have an ace mechanic as a brother and I will do what he suggests


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## forqalso (Jun 1, 2015)

shiftydrake said:


> That's in Canada........and I will still sit there with my engine running regardless of what others think I have an ace mechanic as a brother and I will do what he suggests


You're right. If you convert metric to imperial, your car suddenly burns more gas from starting it than from leaving it running. Or do you just have to cross a border to get gasoline to burn at different rates?

Good luck with that theory in the future.
https://media.ford.com/content/ford...rt-stop-technology-to-be-standard-across.html


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## shiftydrake (Dec 12, 2015)

Will still do what I have been doing for 13 years as a taxi driver regardless of what people on the internet say is better.....I believe my ace mecanic brother


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## Sgt_PaxHauler (Oct 21, 2016)

Grand said:


> Car is Subaru Impreza 2011 (pre the stop-start that has the heavy duty battery)
> 
> Q1. Does having them all connected to the multi (but not to eg phone) affect the battery?
> Q2. If I used the centre console and plugged in the cables (as spares) will that affect the battery?
> ...


On most of the Japanese vehicles I've driven, the 12v power adapters (and probably USB and AC inverter outlets) are switched on and off with the ignition. American cars usually have the 12v power adapters on all the time. On my Dodge, I usually unplug my charge adapters just enough to disconnect them when I'm done driving for the day, but on days when I forget I can still start my car okay. Car USB chargers use a pretty negligible amount of power; maybe at most an amp or two under peak load and less when not connected to loads. Car batteries are usually around 80-100 amp hours in capacity, meaning you'd have to leave it connected for many, many days to drain your battery low enough to risk having to get a jump start. The splitters (one 12v adapter plug to multiple 12v adapter outlets) don't use any power at all unless they have decorative LEDs, which might use 1/20th of an amp at most. The car's internal electronics will drain your battery more than that.

Overall, it's not worth worrying about unless you're leaving the car parked for several days on end. If so, just unplug the 12v cig lighter adapters.


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## GrinsNgiggles (Oct 11, 2016)

Pinning for someone else


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## mKat (May 19, 2016)

Shut it off. Startup lubrication is only an issue after the car has sat idle for hours, like overnight.


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## Oscar Levant (Aug 15, 2014)

GrinsNgiggles said:


> when waiting for the next ping (which sometimes can be 30 minutes) is it better for the car to let it idle or turn it off? Idle = burning gas but turning it off and on = hard on the starter.


I turn the car off if I know that I'm going to wait more than say, 5 minutes.


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