Is 'Warming Up' Your Frozen Car Necessary? AAA Says No

You get out of that warm bed and it only takes one look out the frosty window to know it's a cold morning. No, it's a South Dakota cold morning.

What's the first thing that a lot of vehicle owners do? Reach for that trusty remote starter to get that icebox, otherwise known as your vehicle, warmed up.

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The longstanding belief is that to improve performance in cold weather, you should allow the engine to run for a few minutes before driving.

But is it really necessary to 'warm-up' your car, and more importantly, is it good for your engine?

According to AAA, you should start the engine and allow it to idle long enough to fasten your seat belt. This will allow the lubricating oil to cover all of the engine's vital parts.

When driving the car, avoiding hard acceleration actually allows the engine to warm faster, and it also reduces engine wear and emissions.

Of course, take a little longer idle time to clear off snow and ice from the windows.

AAA also recommends an engine block heater to further reduce wear when starting a car in below zero temps.

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Know Your South Dakota College and University Mascots

The college football experience is an ultimate high for football fans and it takes several other teams to make that happen week after week during the season.

Just think about what goes into gameday? First and foremost, the players and coaching staff who put in hours and hours of practice and training to play in front of their fans. Then there's field prep, game officials, live broadcasts, concessions, and on-the-field entertainment. Yep, entertainment.

Second to the game, who do you watch? The cheerleaders? The band at halftime? What about the mascot? That's a job not many people can do.

I asked Sioux Falls native and former Cagey mascot for the Sioux Falls Canaries and Little Red & Herbie for the Nebraska Huskers Nate Welch about being a mascot:

What does it take to be a mascot?
"Losing a bet or filling an opportunity!" Welch says, "An internal energized desire to love life. After meeting great performers who are introverts out of costume, they become the center of attention when they take the stage. And also feeding off the performance of others."
Why does the mascot never talk?
"Know your role and shut your mouth. You are there to entertain. Tell the story with your actions and not your voice."
Advice to someone putting on that costume for the first time?
"Remember you are now in a costume. Have fun. Otherwise, you're just a dork in tights. If the fur ain't flying you ain't trying."

Nate Welch has moved on from his days as a mascot to Executive Director of the Vermillion Area Chamber of Commerce and Development Company in Vermillion, South Dakota.

So, can you name the mascots at our South Dakota Colleges and Universities? Check out the gallery below:

Source: Is ‘Warming Up’ Your Frozen Car Necessary? AAA Says No