Dying to be driven?

madmaz_2

My mother has a 1.1 W reg fiesta. When she purchased it over 6 years ago it had around 14,000 miles on the clock, to date it now has around 14,700 probably, due to the fact that her driving journeys consist of a 10 minute drive to work (that,s there and back) three times a week. My arguement with her is that she doesn't drive it enough, someone once told me that she is actually doing more harm than good to the car.

Last month she took it to the MOT and was told that her brake pipes were corroded, her final bill was £198!

Is it true what I was told, as she thinks I am just having a go at her.

AndyRat

Surely it would be cheaper to get a taxi to work??

xycom1

As long as it's regularly serviced (i.e. every year on schedule) then it shouldn't be a problem.

It's if it hasn't been serviced once in the last 6 years because it hasn't done much mileage, then it could be doing more harm - or just being used once every few months, etc.

Since it sounds like it's being run (even for a short drive) once every 2-3 days then I would think it'll be fine.

mr_accountant

What you (or your mum) need to do is give it an Italian tune up, this means take it on the motorway and give the engine a good thrashing (put it one gear lower than normal) and see how this goes. Due to the minute mileage over 6 years the engine is probably dirty and filled with rubbish. So once the car is give an Italian tune up, id change the oil and oil filter.

Re corroded brakes pipes, looks like ford still cant build rust free cars, although a mitigating circumstance is low usage which can cause some accelerated wear

cambist

As far as im aware driving a car little, is as bad as driving it alot. I would think if it takes her 5 mins to get to work and 5 back, it would be cheeper to walk and do away with the car, insurance, MOT, tax, service and fuel.

cambist

mr_accountant wrote:

What you (or your mum) need to do is give it an Italian tune up, this means take it on the motorway and give the engine a good thrashing (put it one gear lower than normal) and see how this goes. Due to the minute mileage over 6 years the engine is probably dirty and filled with rubbish. So once the car is give an Italian tune up, id change the oil and oil filter.

Re corroded brakes pipes, looks like ford still cant build rust free cars, although a mitigating circumstance is low usage which can cause some accelerated wear

That will do nothing,.

mr_accountant

cambist wrote:

That will do nothing,.

Why not, yes driving short distances is not beneficial, but now that’s it done its damage limitation and future problem prevention. The engine if more than likely full of carbon build up, the Italian tune up will clear this.

Re the oil change are you saying keep the same oil in here? Changing the oil and filter will help clear the old gunk, improve lubrication, improve mpg and reduce the carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon levels thus helping pass the mot emissions.


Give it a try the tune up is free (bar the petrol, its only a 1.1) and the oil change is £10 at national tyres.

Ganyam

mr_accountant wrote:

Why not, yes driving short distances is not beneficial, but now that’s it done its damage limitation and future problem prevention. The engine if more than likely full of carbon build up, the Italian tune up will clear this.

Re the oil change are you saying keep the same oil in here? Changing the oil and filter will help clear the old gunk, improve lubrication, improve mpg and reduce the carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon levels thus helping pass the mot emissions.


Give it a try the tune up is free (bar the petrol, its only a 1.1) and the oil change is £10 at national tyres.

I agree with canbist, i cany see the point thrashing the engine, oil change yes, but does thrashing the engine have anything to with brakes.......

mr_accountant

Ganyam wrote:

I agree with canbist, i cany see the point thrashing the engine, oil change yes, but does thrashing the engine have anything to with brakes.......

A car driven short distances without the engine getting warm will have carbon build up, so a tuneup help will clear this, i am not talking about thrashing the engine, clearly red lining at every gear change is no good. What i am saying is get the car warmed up, take it on the motorway then drive as normal but put it one gear down (normally meaning 4th) this will clear the rubbish.

I do this one every couple of months and it works a treat, i.e. around 4000 rpm on the motorway for 20 miles.

This is recommended before the mot to reduce their emissions and ensure they pass (assuming the cat is ok).

This technique is also recommend by all the experts on the honestjohn website, if its good enough for them its good enough for me.

northern_munky

Mr Accountant is dead right, cars which are run like this will suffer from carbon build up in the combustion chambers, the valves and injectors, all this is doing is storing up trouble for the future. The car has never been upto proper working temperature in 6 years, the damage is probably already done. It needs a regular big drive to stretch its legs and blow the cob webs out of those cylinders and it needs extra oil and filter changes to get rid of all the impurities that build up and get carried around the engine.

scheming_gypsy

i know nothing about cars but i agree with Mr Accountant. I thrash my car all over, constantly giving it the Italian tune up, and the engine purrs like a cat with a hard on.
Always performs smoother once it's had a good blast.