I always warm up my GS until you can see the needle has moved up on the temp guage. Not a science, but just so I know the car is closer to operating temperature.

 

Same here.

 

If it is particularly cold (less than 3C/37F) then I wait until she gets to a quarter of normal operating temperature then gently drive off and and dont rev harder until at least half way to operating temperature. Part of my historical issue is that the gear change mapping had adapted itself to the previous driver's style. After having my dealer reset this I found my car behaved better in the mornings when starting up.

 

I go to her room. Eye my beloved suspended in air waiting to be lowered on her steel shafts. Smile, both to myself for the sinister beast that awaits, and to anyone noticing for the elegance she exudes. I flip the switch on the air, wait a few seconds, depress the plunger releasing the pneumatic air locks and watch anxiously as she slowly descends, mouth agape, hips wide and inviting. I ease inside. My left leg lazily rests half in and half out. I know the buttons and how to turn her on. She responds as expected, with joy exemplified with a quick scream. Again I smile inwardly, but this time for the beast unleashed. Time for coffee.

 

Harlequin's publisher is calling

Geez, LOL

 

I warm my car up till i see the needle move beyound the 120 mark and i drive on the slow side till she get close to the operating temp.

 

Yeah I learned the warm up is important. The first few times I didnt, it would stall at the first stop sign in my neighbourhood which was scary and concerning. But to your point, it needs a coffee which I found around 3-5 mins, not exact timer but enough to hear the exhaust idling steady and the engine temp moves closer to normal.

 

I wait for 30 seconds or so and then drive off, but slowly at first until engine reaches operating temperature.

 

Same here . . . or longer if I'm putting the top down. Jon

 

In cold weather I wait about 5 minutes. In warmer temps I wait a couple minutes.

 

I only drive mine once a week most of the time so I tend to make it a fun procedure. Here is what I do: Open door and listen for F1 pump (sigh of relief), turn key (let things power up for apx 20 sec), start car, walk around car looking at tire pressure level, check head/break lights then finaly get in and secure seat belt. Back car out of garage and let set for about one minute. by this time she is about 1/4% warmed up. Drive off slowley for about two miles before I hit the freeway.... she seems to like this process and so do I... However, I live in San Diego and my garage seems to sit between 68 - 70 degrees year around.

 

Mine takes a solid 10 minutes to reach 195. I usually let it sit running until ready but I am going to have the T stat chcked as well. I never rev above 2500 until at full temp (195).

 

It's damn near 20-30* in the morning here in MN. The garage sits about 40-50* consistently.
I usually start her up. Let it warm up for 1 min or so. Then slowly back out and creep down the driveway (1/5mi) in neutral. As I get on the main road, I just slowly putz along. About 5 min later, she's warmed up enough to drive with a bit more accl. About 8 min, she warmed up and it's go time baby.

I have yet to drive the car in any temps about 50*. Bought my car late last fall. Then it sat all winter.

 

The short answer is: warm it up just like you do with your other cars. A Maserati engine isn't any more or less fragile than what you find in any other modern car.

 

Travis, I dont think most people warm up their cars. Especially in warm weather. They just hop in start and go

 

Even in cold weather most don't warm their cars. But a Maser just isn't most cars and while the engine is rock solid, she's still a finicky car. I was told by a couple mechanics and even with a test drive experience (threw a temp code) let her warm up and don't jump on it till up to temp. I don't let the wheels roll until the needle starts moving.

But wow I find having to take it easy till up to temp a very tough test of will!

 

she's still a finicky car.

I'll agree she is finicky but extra warm up time isn't going to change that.

 

I'll have to check but I believe the manual for most models say that warm up is pretty much a waste of gas. Give it a couple of minutes and then go but as many suggest, easy for the first few miles.

 

My car doesnt even move untill i see the needle above 120. Im just most comfortable with this for me

 

Modern day car owner's manuals (from '87 & '89 BMWs and Porsches to 2011 Audis (sorry for the German car references) all say to start up and drive right off, and that sitting, letting the car warm will only foul plugs.

I don't have a modern day Maser yet, but I'd be surprised if the owner manuals suggest a warm-up (except for cold weather).

That said, of course one should never flog any car without full operating temp, but it sounds like, from the above owner's experience, that you actually have to let a modern Maserati warm up before moving....I thought all that went away with modern fuel injection?

 

Aaah - one of my favorite discussion points!

Having been an Alfa maniac, I have kept some old habits: With respect for an aluminum engine I wait till the water temp is at 1/4 before moving off. Then, with a nod to the Supercortemaggiore days, I only open her up when I think the OIL temp is up. While this may not be necessary with the synthetic oil, we who drive Italian iron know we must try to please the gods any way we can.

 

I do about 60 push ups next to it till I m all warmed up....

J/K

General rule, if you live in warm weather (like I do), then you don't need to warm it up. Most modern cars only take 15 seconds to get warmed up in warm weather, and that time includes turning the ignition on, opening the garage door, backing up the car and saying hello to the neighbor.

if you live in really cold weather, like back when I lived in MI in winter, then I usually wait till the temp needle starts moving, then usually it means the car is good to go.

 

I do about 60 push ups next to it till I m all warmed up....

In a row? That's impressive. I took the three minute push up challenge a few weeks ago and could only pull off 67.

3-Minute Pushup Challenge

 

Just do what the manual says. Keep it under 4k RPM until it is up to temp. Simple.

 

+1. I don't know why everyone has these rituals. The official owners manual says nothing about waiting 10 minutes, ensuring that the temp gauge has moved a few millimeters, etc.

 

I've taken to letting it warm up a few minutes in the morning, just to get the oil moved around some. Especially coming off a couple of days where I don't drive it. It may do absolutely nothing but if it helps keep things moving along without problems I'm all for it.

 

Hi; I just got my 2002 Spyder CC, and I must say, starting off first thing after starting is like going back in time. I give it some gas, the engine RPM's go up, the clutch engages, the engine bogs down, the clutch disengages. This repeats several more time times. I'm bucking along like a 16 year old trying to drive a manual for the first time. Good thing I'm way out of site of any neighbors.
I guess if I'm in a populated area I'll let it warm up, but I've never had to do that with Acura NSX, Porsche Boxster, Mercedes CLK, or Corvette ZR-1 that I've had recently. Howard

 

I have had Alfas in the past that were very finicky on start-up so just out of habbit I let mine warm up until the RPM settles down (about a min or two depending on outside temp). Then I keep the RPM's under 4,000 until full operating temp is reached and then some - maybe 10 minutes of driving. May not make that much difference on these modern engines and synthetic oil but old habbits are hard to change and seems to work great so why change now....cheers!

 

I figured my QP was telling me when she was ready. When I first start here she revs high for about a minute or two, than the revs subside to normal, and figure I am good to go. I have not seen anyone else mention this, do your cars do this?

 

Yes - see my previous post.

 

Our cars ARE different than others with "modern engines" since they are dry sump. Also, we use about twice as much oil than a normal car, so the volume expansion is about twice as much.

So question is, do we need to do anything different because of the dry sump and oil expansion? My guess is no, but sounds like a question worth asking.

BTW, I let it idle for about a minute (when starting out cold) and then go easy until up to temp (so hard to resist punching it out the gate!). On very cold days, I wait until the needle begins to move and then do the same.

 

There are many advantages to a dry sump on a high performance car. One is the increased oil capacity, which keeps the oil cooler overall. However, this also means that it takes longer to get to operating temperature. In extreem cases and depending on engine design/purpose you may never get there with normal day-to-day driving using a dry sump. Hence, take it easy the first 10-15 minutes, but don't be afraid to push after that - it was designed for it!!!