I highly doubt it burns that much while idling...
I've slept in my car many times in different weather (very HOT, had to run the AC or very COLD and had to run the heater) and after a 5-6 hour nap, the fuel gauge would've barely moved. (in my 07 Civic which has bars instead of a needle, i'd wake up with 1 bar gone)
My wife idles her 06 Scion tC for 5-10 minutes each and every day (sometimes LONGER!) and every week when i fill it up, the scan gauge and my mileage calculations show 26-27mpg average. Her daily commute to work and back is 70% highway with stop and go morning and evening traffic and believe me when i say she drives with a heavy foot (car is modified) and i redline it daily as well!
Now the car is rated @ 19 city / 27 highway yet with all the morning idling, abusive driving, etc the car is still returning highway MPG rating with mixed city driving. (we average 27-29mph with all highway cruising @ 76-80mph on cruise control)
Don't get me wrong, idling for 5 minutes DOES indeed waste gas, even if it's a small amount, so that statement is true. That's the reason why it's been posted many times on different web sites suggesting that we stop idling in the AM, stop idling at the drive-thru, at redlight, etc, etc because if we add up all 20 million Americans doing it, it does add up to quite a bit of gas spent standing still, i agree.
But the comfort of my wife getting into a warm car (or cooled off, during the summer) is worth the $0.50
of gas burned warming up the car.
I've slept in my car many times in different weather (very HOT, had to run the AC or very COLD and had to run the heater) and after a 5-6 hour nap, the fuel gauge would've barely moved. (in my 07 Civic which has bars instead of a needle, i'd wake up with 1 bar gone)
My wife idles her 06 Scion tC for 5-10 minutes each and every day (sometimes LONGER!) and every week when i fill it up, the scan gauge and my mileage calculations show 26-27mpg average. Her daily commute to work and back is 70% highway with stop and go morning and evening traffic and believe me when i say she drives with a heavy foot (car is modified) and i redline it daily as well!
Now the car is rated @ 19 city / 27 highway yet with all the morning idling, abusive driving, etc the car is still returning highway MPG rating with mixed city driving. (we average 27-29mph with all highway cruising @ 76-80mph on cruise control)
Don't get me wrong, idling for 5 minutes DOES indeed waste gas, even if it's a small amount, so that statement is true. That's the reason why it's been posted many times on different web sites suggesting that we stop idling in the AM, stop idling at the drive-thru, at redlight, etc, etc because if we add up all 20 million Americans doing it, it does add up to quite a bit of gas spent standing still, i agree.
But the comfort of my wife getting into a warm car (or cooled off, during the summer) is worth the $0.50
