How often does a car need to be driven? I have a trickle charger for the battery so I'm not too worried about that, but how long can a car just sit around? I try to make sure I drive my car at least one day a week, but that doesn't always happen...
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How often does a car need to be driven? I have a trickle charger for the battery so I'm not too worried about that, but how long can a car just sit around? I try to make sure I drive my car at least one day a week, but that doesn't always happen...
I got a 1967 Cadillac that basically sat from 1974 to 2004 (30 years).
My grandma started it up once in a while and pumped the brakes. It drove under its own power onto the transport when it came down to stay with me in 2004. I let sit months without even looking at it and it has been doing fine for the past 8 years.
Batery disconnect switch FTW! ;-)
Interesting fact in the 46 years it has been around it has driven less than 1,200 miles a year. ::hal:: Not a high use vehicle.
Back when I used to alternate between an old BMW (winter car) and an old RX-7 (summer car), they would sit for several weeks at a time during their respective off-seasons. I did that for 7-8 years without major issues for either car. When I drove them in the off-season, I just made sure to get everything good and warmed up, then give 'em a good Oklahoma Tuneup with a nice flogging on the highway. I never had the gas go bad or the tires get so flat-spotted that they were trashed. I chuckle when I read of crazy preservation rituals the M.netters go to to put their precious cars up for the winter...
I'm guessing here, but I think the biggest concern would be any separation between the ethynol and the gasoline. When we lived in Chicago we used to store our Miata for 5 months over winter. Just disconnected the battery and then charged it before we would start the car in the Spring. You could probably go once a month and not experience any problems.
Is an Oklahoma Tuneup when you pull the car with rope around the Neighborhood shirtless and half light with your memaw's Dodge Horizon?
http://img.ehowcdn.com/article-new/e...pe-800x800.jpg
Get it straight, Mick. The Horizon was a Plymouth and the Dodge was an Omni...
Sheesh!!!
shut up that ain't what memaw says! :tooth:Quote:
Originally Posted by trickyrix
I have a '97 F150 (that I bought new) that gets ~1000 miles a year put on it. I don't take any special actions or precautions...just drive it when I need it.
I will see people bring out autocross-only cars six months from the last time that I saw them and I doubt all of them are following any real car storage guidelines. Then they beat me. ;)
The biggest thing I ever had a problem with was the transmission seals in the old molester van. But it was a 40 year old Ford truck.
My motorcycle gets pissed if it goes more than a week without being ridden and pisses fuel on the floor. But that's easy enough to avoid. My truck is doing about the mileage of Sam's this year, and it appears to have eaten it's a/c compressor to spite me. I hope it doesn't start talking to the motorcycle...
Mine sits regularly for months at a time, unstarted, with the battery connected, no trickle charger (I have one, just never use it), and I don't even have to jump it. It's sat a few times for exactly a year (battery connected, I just let it die), once for two years and a few months, and at least 5-6 months every year when I was in NJ and NY. In the 10 years I've owned the car, it's only been drivable for 4 or 5. I'm only on my second battery - replaced the factory one a few years ago.
My 99 NB and my 1970 Plymouth Duster sit for months in the garage while I am gone working...........I have to prime the carb on the Duster as it will be dry when I get home but otherwise no problems from either and this has been going on for 5 years.