Laying up a car

[TW]Fox

[TW]Fox

[TW]Fox

Man of Honour
Joined
17 Oct 2002
Posts
160,353
Guys,

Usually I've no real problem when one of my threads turns into an off topic lolfest. However this time I'd appreciate mostly sensible answers. I'm not particularly interested whether you think my car is a 300 year old BMW, whether caring about a car is sad, whether dented leather could be the source of future world wars or whether I need to get out more or whatever today. I know all this stuff anyway :p

Next Saturday I'll be parking my car on the drive and not using it for 6 weeks.

Is it as simple as simply... parking it on the drive and not using it for 6 weeks or is there anything I should do? Disconnect the battery perhaps? Anything else?

Is it best to just leave it parked up for 6 weeks or should I get my Dad to take it out for a thrashing once a fortnight or what?

No idea whether there is potential to do any 'damage' to the car by just leaving it on the drive for that period of time or not really so any advice or thoughts would be much appreciated. We left an FTO on the drive for ages and everything siezed up and broke.

I've no idea whether its a 'big deal' or not in terms of the timescale, so some perspective would be greatly appreciated :p

Cheers guys!
 
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Easy, just ask your dad to run the engine for a while? but if not then yea I'd disconnect the battery because I'm sure that'll be dead within 2 weeks if left? Depending on the gadgets most modern cars have.

:)
 
6 weeks? Not that long really. I've left cars for months at a time with no issue. Do get your dad to move it now and then so local chavs/thieves don't think its unattended and try to do stuff to it or break into etc..
 
Stick a brick in front & behind the wheel & leave it out of gear & with the hand brake Off.
 
6 weeks is nothing just leave the car. You could get your dad to give it a run once in the middle but even that shouldnt be necessary if the battery is good.
 
It'll be fine. Disable any alarm that might drain the battery and leave it as it is.

We leave our Focus for ages at a time and have never had any problems, it always starts immediately on a 8 year old battery so I will be very surprised if your car has a problem.
 
6 weeks isn't all that long but with it being Britain, a drive once a week to stop the brakes rusting to hell and to keep the oil circulated might be useful. If someone does this, no need to disconnect the battery or anything (plus won't you lose security if you do this?)
 
Yeh It'll be fine - just let it warm up and take it really easy when you start it again to get the oil flowing.

A friend left her crappy old 205 for a year without problems, you'll be fine
 
The Edge said:
I wouldn't worry personally. Only thing i might do is not leave much petrol in it in case it goes stale.
Click to expand...

Does that happen so often? I've fired up a Sprinter that was parked in a yard for almost a year with no ill effect and with the same 1/4 tank in it (was a banger and we did'nt care) only tyres were a little flat.
 
In a similar position, I'm probabaly going to get my mum to give it a run once a week or so rather than worrying about anything else.
 
I recently had a 106 stood for 2 months, was fine, even started first time! Didnt do anything at all with it, just parked it up normally
 
Don't forget to update us on how it is "Travelling in a Fried out Combi" Sing Along now. :D
 
Getting someone to drive it every 2 weeks or so will stop the tyres from getting a flat spot due to the weight of the vehicle and not being moved.

Also I was once told to fill the fuel tank so that water moisture doesn't build up, but not sure if that would be worse than the fuel going off.
 
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