Dear Car Talk:
Help! My husband and I have an ongoing debate. I have a 2015 Toyota RAV-4. My husband insists that it’s harmful to drive the vehicle very short distances.
For example, if I need to move my car out of the garage for any reason and park it in the driveway (say, for example, a contractor needs access to the garage), my husband wants me to drive around for five to 10 minutes before parking again.
I don’t see why I need to waste gas and time driving the car around. Surely modern cars are engineered well enough that you can move them 100 feet. Or, are they? Is there a reason I can’t just back my car out of the garage and park it in the driveway?
I’ve been married for 22 years, and my husband and I still go around in circles on this topic. It’s slowly making me crazy. If I’m wrong, I’m wrong, but I at least want a solid reason why. — Erika
My late brother’s wife told him that he had to drive his car for two hours every time he moved it. Then, she kept asking him to move it, just to get rid of him for another two hours.
Tell your husband that the era of driving around after moving the car is over, Erika.
As usual, there’s a grain of truth to your husband’s argument. And, as usual, he probably got it from me and my brother.
Here’s what happens. When you combust gasoline and air, you get a bunch of stuff, including good old water. When your car is hot, that water evaporates as it makes its way out the hot tailpipe. And, if any of it gets past your piston rings into the oil, the heat causes it to evaporate and be purged from there, too.
But, if you just start the car and don’t let it fully heat up, that water can sit there in the exhaust system. Or, mix with the oil.
And if you do that every day — say your daily commute to work is three minutes long — that water can theoretically make your exhaust system corrode faster, and, if there’s enough of it in the oil, diminish the quality of your lubrication.
But, moving the car from the garage to the driveway once in a while is not going to cause these problems.
So, your husband has taken a kernel of truth, and turned it into near divorce. Impressive.
Here’s what I would suggest, Erika: Tell him that from now on, you’ll be moving the car whenever you want — with no restrictions.
And, if he feels really strongly about his approach, hand him the keys and say “Go ahead, move the car and then drive around for 10 minutes. And while you’re out, pick up my dry cleaning and get me a latte.”
Got a question about cars? Write to Car Talk write to Ray in care of King Features, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803, or email by visiting the Car Talk website at www.cartalk.com.
