When stuck in a snow storm what is the best way to stay warm and save gas?

get a hotel room

If you are that worried get a cell phone, check the weather before the trip, tell people where you are going, get a 4×4, and a survival kit. Surviving the storms can sometimes be a matter of luck, but with preparation there is no need to worry.

Start the car when you need to get warm. Shut it off as soon as you are warm. Work out an interval like 15 minutes on and two hours off. The gas will last longer and so will you.
Some additional advise. Carry a survival kit with a”space blanket”, matches or lighter, candles, and a disposable parka in you car in the winter. These items will allow you to survive indefinitely. The space blanket will keep you warm, the parka will keep you dry, and the matches and candle will heat an entire car up to a survivable temperature.

In the winter weather, I would keep at least one blanket in my car, a pair of ski gloves or mittens, and a winter hat that covers your ears. I would make sure that I have a cell phone that is fully charged every day, and a car charger for it so I could call for help if I needed it.

As far as your actual question, I am no mechanic, but I would go with the on-off method. However, I do know the the engine block cools down and takes a while to warm up and produce heat through the vents. I have to drive my Jeep for 10 or so minutes for full heat, and I assume it would take more time if it was idling. It does take more gas to start the engine than to keep it running, especially in the cold. But I think it would last longer if you did the start stop method.

I think having an emergency kit in the car is the best idea. Or invest in 4WD if this is a real issue where you live. Unless my Jeep had a mechanical problem, I wouldn’t worry a whole lot about getting stuck stuck!

Also, keep your car maintained so it is reliable!

keep the care warm,,but keep a window open so the fumes go out and do not kill you,,if it is to bad,,get help and leave your car to go for safety,,

The on-off method won’t work. The engine cools down too quick and you need to run it 15 to 20 minutes at a time to keep the battery charged up enough to start it again. When you hear approaching noise like emergency vehicles coming, you want enough battery power to flash your lights and blast your horn. The best way is to keep a survival kit in the car. This should consist of a few flares, two or more pairs of thick woolen socks, a blanket, a bic lighter or bbq lighter and at least two cans of sterno. ( solid fondue fuel)

Reasoning and purpose:
Flares for signalling overhead help,
wool socks rotate the pairs from hands to feet every half
hour. Hands give off more heat, so rotating socks
keep your feet from freezing.
blanket self-evident
bic lighter unlike matches, are less affected by moisture.
Sterno cans Far superior in heating than candles. Sealed cans
cans can stay in the car year round, unlike candles
that melt in the summer’s heat. Also. being
alcohol, burns longer, hotter with far less carbon
monoxide. Overall, a safer source of heat than a
candle.