How to look after your car during a lockdown?

Psycho Sonny · 12 Apr 2020 at 10:35

https://www.lexus.co.uk/discover-lexus/lexus-news/lexus-hybrid-parked#hero

Should I use my battery charger or turn the car on and sit inside it for 60 mins?

Battery charger will only charge the 12v battery whereas turning it on will charge both the hybrid and the 12v.

Psycho Sonny · 14 Apr 2020 at 15:35

robj20 said:
I just plan on leaving mine. In 2018 through winter it was left for around 3+ months, started perfectly and drove perfectly. I have zero worries leaving it for months and months.

yours isn't a hybrid though. and that is terrible advice. your battery takes a tanking in winter and depleting it further is stupid.

i took the car for a 25 min drive the other day. hopefully that is better than idling for 60 mins.

Psycho Sonny · 16 Apr 2020 at 12:09

BigglesPiP said:
Fiesta, but the effect is much the same.

How is that even possible the roads are dead. Were they on their phone?

Psycho Sonny · 16 Apr 2020 at 22:43

Invertigo said:
So what sort of time frame is it before you need to start taking precautions for storing cars, namely increasing tyre pressures. I have two cars right now and I'm trying to alternate them for the weekly shopping trips etc, it's about a 10- 12 mile round trip, plus about 15 miles a week to drop food off at my parents, so both cars are getting use, but I'm considering if it's better to lay one up.

it's better to use both. cars start falling apart as things start seizing if not used. not talking 1 or 2 weeks but leave a car for several months and things will be worse for it. may not show immediately but later down the line.

Psycho Sonny · 29 May 2020 at 09:21

In the wife's hybrid just now. Been 20 mins I'm waiting on her and the engine hasn't turned on once whilst parked.

So yeah lexus advice to leave it running for an hour is correct as during that time it will likely only turn on when fully drained and then for 1 charge cycle.

Psycho Sonny · 29 May 2020 at 19:48

Raymond Lin said:
I leave my car at the airport for 1-2 weeks holiday all the time and it never fails to start first time I get back in.

I don’t think about it unless it’s longer than that.

that's okay if it's getting used regularly outwith those 1-2 week holidays. i have been on several 4 week holidays and never had any issues either.

however under the current circumstances i'm averaging maybe 20-30 miles per month. so it needs regular charging.