Forum home› The potting shed
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Cars Standing Idle

steveTusteveTu Posts: 3,219
in The potting shed
I know this is a gardening forum......

I used to drive my car each day - but now it will be sitting idle apart from a short run for the  weekly shop, so I thought I'd look up what to do if the car was idle for a period.
Anyone here a mechanic and/or has any other advice (non abusive!) would be appreciated.

UK - South Coast Retirement Campus (East)
«1345

Posts

  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    Does it say to disconnect the battery? We need to do that if we go away for a week or more. We don't always remember so we've had to but a charger😐
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Not a mechanic but I drive my car once a month to pick up my prescription.  That’s about a 14 mile round trip, never had a problem, my previous car was an X reg. never had a problem. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    We used to go to Goa for 3 months every winter and never had any problem starting car and van upon return.
    Devon.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited March 2020
    Quite often my car only gets driven once or twice a week, and I was laid up all summer a few years ago with a broken foot and damaged knee (remember that long hot summer folks, and me in a black cybergoth boot) ........ OH doesn't drive so my elderly Megane convertible sat on the drive for weeks and weeks ....... started first time.

    I remember back in sixties folk used to give their cars a weekly check up  on Saturday or Sunday morning, before washing and polishing it ... topping up water, oil, checking tyre pressures and topping up the battery etc ......anyone do that nowadays ?  Course not .......... as has been said ... modern cars are different.  Does anyone do anything much between the annual services unless you're going on a long journey?

    If it's a long hot summer, check your tyre side walls for flaking and cracking ... but you'd do that anyway. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    I found batteries in  old cars without fancy electronics you don't want, need or unaware of lasted for months and months without driving. Car alarms- the little flashing light etc drain the battery.  Maybe the newer ones than mine have solved this problem.
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • BenCottoBenCotto Posts: 4,718
    Never mind 50 miles per gallon, my car is now doing two months per gallon.
    Rutland, England
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    Some of my neighbours are putting local key workers and friends near by, on their insurance to get best use out of the car. Something you might consider.
  • CamelliadCamelliad Posts: 402
    Or you could do what our neighbour does, start it and just let it idle on the driveway for a couple of hours. Makes me so cross. 
  • CamelliadCamelliad Posts: 402
    Yes I know it's illegal (although it's actually on a private road) but I think the police have other priorities and he has form for turning mean, so I don't say anything. I will mention in passing next time we speak how lovely it is to have quiet roads and less car pollution at the moment, see if that triggers anything.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Presumably he leaves the key in the ignition and the car unlocked when he dies this?
    You might like to mention that if someone happened to nick his car in those circumstances it’s unlikely that he would be covered by his insurance. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





Sign In or Register to comment.