Work commute cut to just 1.5 miles... Should I be concerned with constant cold tranny?

[PlayfulBird]

200

If I want a bill (to prove it was done) over 300€ for petrol and more on our diesel

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[ShadowsPapa]

If I want a bill (to prove it was done) over 300€ for petrol and more on our diesel

Wow, that's over $300 as well. (Euro has been mostly upward in recent weeks)

 

[PlayfulBird]

Wow, that's over $300 as well. (Euro has been mostly upward in recent weeks)

true that

 

[Elff]

I seriously think people are over thinking this.
Increase the frequency of your oil changes, drive it longer on the weekends, and don't sweat it.
On nice days, if you have the time, take advantage of some healthy motion and walk

You gladiator will not implode, and you have a warranty.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I seriously think people are over thinking this.
Increase the frequency of your oil changes, drive it longer on the weekends, and don't sweat it.
On nice days, if you have the time, take advantage of some healthy motion and walk

You gladiator will not implode, and you have a warranty.

No, they aren't over-thinking this. It's not just about oil changes. If you have worked on the hundreds of engines and transmissions I have over the years - you'd actually be concerned about short drives.
I, for one, would totally avoid buyinghany used vehicle that I can tell has been only on short drives (either by admission or by my intuition and experiences and skills in such things) They are nothing but trouble in later years - trouble. Things I've dealt with personally for decades.

It's not just the engine - it includes transmission, exhaust and differentials and brakes.

Warranty? Not for when the damage will be evident - after your warranty runs out. And it only includes defects in materials and workmanship.......... Anyone who takes the risks assuming "no biggy, I have WARRANTY! Wha-hoo! I'm covered! is not wise.

I've seen the damage personally over years of working on cars and trucks. I've seen it on my own vehicles that sat for long periods or went through only short drives.

As other savvy members have pointed out - it is NOT jus the engine. And oil changes are only a fraction of the consideration.........
It's expensive exhaust parts, cats, mufflers, pipes,
It's transmissions - automatics especially (yes, some parts RUST, not to mention the fluid breaking down from oxidation - so do you change transmission fluid every 20,000 miles?)
It's differentials - they can also suffer from the effects of humidity - moisture not burning off (although not nearly as bad as engines and transmissions - I just removed a differential from a car and replaced it with another good used one - the original had rust inside, the bearings were spotting, among other things)

Short drives are hell on vehicles. Period.
And frequent oil changes will only effect some of the issues in play. It helps, but is only part of it.

Take it from experience, those who have seen it, lived it, and made a living dealing with it...........
or take it from forum people with no engine maintenance experience who guess and toss stuff at the wall to see what sticks - or even these people ->

 

[Elff]

I too have plenty of experience in this.

Personally, I had a 3 mile commute for 15 years.

Most of that was driven with a Wrangler TJR. It's currently owned by a different person in my Jeep club and has over 100,000 miles on the original engine, transmission and entire drivetrain.
It did share some of that time with a 2006 Buell Firebolt that I still own and it rides magically.

I am currently on 7 years with a 10 mile commute on a different vehicle with no issues. It shares that duty with the above mentioned motorcycle and as of January this year, my Gladiator.

My wife has a 3.5 mile commute and went 6 years with her one car, zero issues and sold it at the beginning of this inflated used car price madness. She got stupid money due to the low miles. She is now 2 years in with her truck,

It's rare that either of us put more than 5000 miles/year on any vehicles we own. I tend to keep most of my vehicles for about a decade.

I have friends, coworkers and neighbors, all in similar situations with cars that are old in years, but low in miles.

As far as the exhaust and rust, If that happens, most cars nowadays have a 10 year corrosion warranty and most people don't keep their cars that long.

To the OP,
Don't sweat it.
Proper maintenance and longer weekend drives will make this a non issue for the typical car owner and their ownership time frame.

 

[HankB]

First off all of the comments about problems associated with short mileage trips are accurate. That said, for most their Gladiator will not be the last car in their lives. Nor is it a showpiece that needs to be handled with white gloves. For most it is a daily driver and the world has been subjecting daily drivers to worse for decades. If this is the vehicle you plan to spend the rest of your life with, stop driving and put it in an air conditioned warehouse, otherwise enjoy the damn thing.

 

[Willys2Gladiator]

Find a longer route.
Make it about 15 minutes.

This^ I had a 2 Mile commute once and always took 'the long' way to work and home. But then again I love driving so wanted to drive further.

 

[Escape.idiocracy]

So my commute was recently cut down to 1.5 miles. I'm now a hop and a skip from work.

The drive is long enough for my engine to get warmed up to proper temps but not long enough for the tranny.

Should I be concerned that I'm not bringing the tranny up to proper temps 10x a week (to and from) and constantly running her cold?

With a 1.5 mile commute the motor isn’t hot enough long enough to evaporate the fuel dilution….
Ensure your doing an oil change every 3k miles absolute tops…. Or at least take it out weekly to burn off the fuel.

I wouldn’t worry about the trans temps, oil temp isn’t hot enough to be getting on it hard….

Your driving condition would be called extreme for wear- not that I would worry about it. Just make sure you know what it is so you can change the service accordingly.

 

[Rocksalt]

I have only 1 mile to work but always take the longer route which is @ 8 miles through rural areas. If anything, the exhaust heats up enough to burn off condensation.

 

[Deleted member 52902]

So my commute was recently cut down to 1.5 miles. I'm now a hop and a skip from work.

The drive is long enough for my engine to get warmed up to proper temps but not long enough for the tranny.

Should I be concerned that I'm not bringing the tranny up to proper temps 10x a week (to and from) and constantly running her cold?

 

[Empty Pockets]

I’d love to have a 1.5 mile commute. I’d walk it every day. I visit our factory in Europe several times a year. One of the great pleasures is walking the 1.25 miles to and from the factory each day.

 

[Deleted member 52902]

Valves, Catalytic converter, sensors, EGR valve, all sorts of things related to the engine that are better serviced with a hot engine than a cold trending to lukewarm state.

 

[Mojavie]

Apologies for bringing up an older post.

I recently purchased a Mojave and do a lot of short trips. I work from home and my the officeI drive in every couple of weeks is only a few miles away, so not getting the Mojave up to temp is a concern for me as well.
I saw a few people mentioned E-Bikes in this thread. While they are expensive, last year I installed an electric conversion on my bike and the wife's for around $800 each. It is a blast to ride, and you can put in as much of your own power as you like.
Happy to provide details if anyone is interested.
Loving the new Mojave and appreciative of all the knowledge put into this forum.

 

[Raven65]

Dude, I would totally WALK to/from work if I lived that close! I walk my dog over three miles an average of three mornings a week before work. Luckily, I get to work from home every other week.

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