# gas efficiency

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gas-efficiency/159340>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 5, 2003, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gas-efficiency/159340 "2003-03-05T21:03:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![harpua2234](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/848f3c/32.png) [@harpua2234](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harpua2234)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2003, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gas-efficiency/159340/1 "2003-03-05T21:03:55Z")

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Is it more efficient to let your car idle in neutral for a short period of time (say you are running into a store real quick) or to turn it off and then restart it 5-10 minutes later?

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2003, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gas-efficiency/159340/2 "2003-03-05T21:55:30Z")

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Turn it off.

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**Author:** ![mmmiiikkkeee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/edb3f5/32.png) [@mmmiiikkkeee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mmmiiikkkeee)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gas-efficiency/159340/3 "2003-03-06T04:07:09Z")

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Yes, turn it off. I found [these](http://frugalliving.about.com/library/blsavegas.htm) two [pages](http://cartalk.cars.com/Columns/Archive/1995/August/10.html) that state it only takes a minute or two’s worth of gas to start it up again. So unless you can do the entire in/purchase/out store routine in 60 sec flat, you’re not saving anything - plus giving the opportunistic criminals their first (or tenth) big break.

I don’t know how many times I’ve seen very nice cars idling away in a big parking lot 50 feet away from the store while the owner is on a “short trip”. If I were so inclined I could have stolen a car (having no expertise in burglary whatsoever) every week or two from right across the street… not enough to live off but plenty of crack money :D.