Leaving a car parked for 9 months

james_joyce

Just to mention in passing - if you do keep it and use it again, remember that any car with tax also needs to stay insured, unless/until you declare SORN again...

Richard53

I'd be inclined to sell it too, unless you are particularly fond of it. Keeping it a couple of months while you find out about the contract would be OK, but any longer and there are all the issues of storage and depreciation. If you do decide to keep it, then do the following:

• Get it as clean as possible, especially underneath
• Keep the tank full to the brim
• Get underneath and protect the brake pipes and any vulnerable areas*
• If you grease/oil the brake discs, remove the pads first or be prepared to install new pads when you re-commission
• WD-40 or similar all around the engine bay to hold back the white fuzz
• Take the battery out and keep somewhere warm and dry, and charge overnight once a month (or get a smart charger and leave it hooked up)
• Set the tyre pressures as normal, and then move the car a few feet every coupld of weeks to prevent flat spots

If you decide to leave the battery in the car and want to start it up, the rule is 'never start the engine unless you are going to get it fully warm'. Just turning it over occasionally will generate corrosive acids in the engine which won't be burned off. Getting the engine warm will also drive off any moisture from the oil.

In view of all that - sell it and buy another one when you need one.

*Worth tracking down a product called ACF-50. It's brilliant at preventing corrosion, but sticks like ***** to a blanket and will need cleaning off with a strong solvent and elbow grease, so only get it on brake discs if you are prepared to get it off again.

Gloomendoom

I once parked a car up for two years without moving it at all. The battery was knackered but still under a 4 year warranty so replaced FOC. With the new battery, it started first time and I used it for another two or three years without incident.

New_and_Improved_Me

Thankyou All.

So looks like it might be a busy weekend..!!!!!!..:(

So my job list stands at-
- Check tyres and fill if needed
- Move car to prevent tyres getting flat spots
- Release hand brake and put bricks behind/front to stop rolling
- Start engine and leave it runing for 30/40 minutes..
- Fill diesel to top - May not happen this weekend - Xmas job
- Remove pads and Greece disks - May not happen this weekend - Xmas job
- Look at preventative measures to stop rusting of major componants - Will see what i have time for this weekend otherwise a Xmas Job.

Did i miss anything??

Gloomendoom

You can get an additive for diesel to stop algae growth. They sell it in boat chandlers.

New_and_Improved_Me

Over the weekend -

- tyres checked
- Hand Break released and bricks placed behind/front of tyres
- Car started for 30/40 minutes till fully warm - Battery was dead so had to jump start, this will need replacing

All other tasks left till Xmas holidays.

Still no real news on contract extension - but have been told that they are looking at option to extend till mid-march and are waiting for internal approvals....fingers crossed it happens - i really like this job.

And it would be a nice time to finish as summer should be kicking in..:)

Norman_Castle

Battery was dead so had to jump start, this will need replacing

If you've got a charger, recharge it fully now and every few months.