I just start it and drive it...mine does the higher RPM at start up too. I think it all has to do with the oil temp and the oil grade that you put in the car. As long as the oil is in the right operating temp to do its job, then you should be fine.

I would drive the car, but not pass 4000 RPM until I have been driving a few minutes already. IMHO, water temp, which is the temp that we see in the dash is not really a good basis on when the car should be driven hard...it should be the oil temp. In the EURO E36 M3 they specifically put an oil temp guage stock for this specific purpose. My water temp there would be in its normal operating range, while the oil is still far from being where it is supposed to be in normal operating temps. Since my S2000 does not have oil temp, I intuitively know that oil heats up later than water...so even if I ahve 3 bars, I still would not dirve the car to redline...Since in my daily route, I know where on the raod my M3's oil gets warm enough, so I drive till that point before I dirve it harder!

 

Some manufacturers do not reccomend Idle Warm up the lower RPMs are harder on the engine from VWs I have leased . Do not over rev though at the VTEC engagement point if trying to drive aggressive with a cold S it will kick down the throddle and sound like trouble

 

I wait 30 secs to a minute, always have always will. Everyone has their quirks

 

I'm honestly not worried about the engine when I drive off cold. I'm more worried about the tranmission. Because once your RPM goes up, you just know shifting will be hard on the cold transmission and differentials, since transmission oil takes a lot longer than the engine oil to warm up.


Transmission oil Temp>Engine oil Temp>Water temp

you really need to just take it easy and be careful. I saw some people starting the engine cold and revving the bajebus out of it. I'm thinking, jee, I've seen pistons crack that way before, what an idiot... Then I think, it's not my car, who gives a damn and laugh my way to home.

 

I think it's hard to drive the car when it's not warm, as it is harder to get into gears.