The amount of time you should warm up your car in the Colorado cold might surprise you

If you want to sit in your car and listen to KYGO a little longer, we’re not complaining. But don’t do it because you think it’s good for your car.

With the frigid temps in Colorado this week, it has this topic trending: You don’t actually need to let your car warm up.

Years ago, it was a good idea when the temperature dipped. Old-fashioned carburetor engines had to warm up, or they could stall. But unless you’ve got a classic car, or a rust-bucket, there’s no need anymore.

Carburetor engines got phased out in the early ’90s, and modern cars with fuel injectors warm up really fast, like five seconds, according to Triple-A.

The only reason to let newer cars warm up is for comfort. If you need to crank the heater and let the windows defrost, go for it, but also know that leaving your vehicle while it’s warming in Colorado is also illegal.

Other than that, it just wastes gas and causes more wear and tear on your engine.