Dear Tom and Ray:

My husband is retired. And since we enjoy each other's company very much, he always goes to the grocery store with me. While I shop, he stays in the car reading books. The problem is in the summer. In order to keep cool, he keeps the engine running and the air conditioner on. I spend between 30 and 60 minutes in the store. Our car is a 1988 Corolla with 150,000 miles on it. Is this practice doing bad things to the car? -- Joan

Tom: Joan, if he enjoys your company so much, why isn't he in the grocery store WITH you? Seems to me he could stay nice and cool by hanging out in the frozen- food section.

Ray: Actually, he's not doing any harm to the car. Idling creates very little wear and tear on the engine. Ask my brother. He's the King of Idling.

Tom: When the engine is idling, it's turning slowly. The explosions in the cylinders are smaller, it's running cool and there's very little load on the bearings. In fact, if I had to take a wild guess, I'd say an hour of idling is equivalent to about five or 10 minutes of highway driving in terms of wear and tear (someone who's done a Ph.D. dissertation on this will send us the exact figures).

Ray: It does waste a little gas and does create a little more pollution, but idling in the parking lot for an hour won't damage the car.

Tom: And think of the alternative, Joan. Without the air conditioning, after an hour in the car, his BO would wilt your nice, fresh, newly purchased lettuce!

Stop the madness! You can stop driving like a knucklehead, and you'll help your car in the process. Learn how your driving habits can harm your car in Tom and Ray's pamphlet "Ten Ways You May Be Ruining Your Car Without Even Knowing It!" To order, send (check or money order) to Ruin, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. You can also order online.

© 1999 by Tom and Ray Magliozzi and Doug Berman Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

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