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Short Car Journeys

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Kimberley
Kimberley Posts: 14,871 Forumite
If you do more short journeys then long, how many long journeys and miles should you do to keep the engine and battery in good condition?

I read frequent short journeys lessons the battery life but what about the engine?

Comments

  • If you do lots of short journeys then you should service your car under the harsh conditions routine, in other words if the normal oil change interval is 12 months 10k, then half it to 6 months 5k.

    If the battery is struggling to keep up, then simply buy a smart charger for £14 from Aldi or Lidl when they next have them and once a month put the battery on for a day or weekend if poss conditioning charge, no need to disconnect the battery for this.

    Things like the exhaust and cat can suffer with too many short runs, the exhaust will corrode from the inside very quickly due to never drying out, so when you get the chance take the car for a good long run to clean the cobwebs out.
  • Kimberley
    Kimberley Posts: 14,871 Forumite
    I've just bought the car and will try to do a long journey once a month to visit my family in London. How many miles do they consider a long journey? I'll get my mechanic to change the oil every 6 months then.

    The AA do a condition charger for the battery that you can leave on all the time but do they fit them?
  • Netwizard
    Netwizard Posts: 830 Forumite
    What car do you have?

    I had a short commute for 9 years (2 miles each way) and my car never suffered any ill effects from this at all, but then again, its an old petrol :)
  • Kimberley
    Kimberley Posts: 14,871 Forumite
    I have a Toyota Yaris 1.3l T VVT-1Spirit 5 dr Hatchback.
  • Netwizard
    Netwizard Posts: 830 Forumite
    Should be fine. They are pretty bulletproof, just keep it well serviced, don't worry about battery conditioners or anything like that. Save your money and just buy a new battery when the old one dies :)
  • forgotmyname
    forgotmyname Posts: 32,928 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    The charger requires a mains power supply. You need to connect it to the car/mains when you want to charge it.

    Overnight once a month should be enough for a new battery. Or take the long way home at least once a week.
    I had a 2.5L V6 petrol car and towards the end of the week with very short journeys you could hear the tappets start to rattle.

    I would jump on the motorway do 18 miles to the next junction and back keeping the revs over 4000rpm.

    Oil changes done before 6000 miles. Sometimes much less.
    Censorship Reigns Supreme in Troll City...

  • Strider590
    Strider590 Posts: 11,874 Forumite
    Netwizard wrote: »
    Should be fine. They are pretty bulletproof, just keep it well serviced, don't worry about battery conditioners or anything like that. Save your money and just buy a new battery when the old one dies :)


    It's the right advise, but unfortunately when her battery starts to die she'll most likely have a father/brother/hubby who will do the "man thing" and try to charge it or jump start it instead of replacing it, until eventually she winds up stranded somewhere with a dead battery.

    If OP has the ability to get a means lead to the car, then a maintenance charger could add 3-4 years onto the life of the battery under those conditions.
    “I may not agree with you, but I will defend to the death your right to make an a** of yourself.”

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  • Kimberley
    Kimberley Posts: 14,871 Forumite
    Strider590 wrote: »
    It's the right advise, but unfortunately when her battery starts to die she'll most likely have a father/brother/hubby who will do the "man thing" and try to charge it or jump start it instead of replacing it, until eventually she winds up stranded somewhere with a dead battery.

    If OP has the ability to get a means lead to the car, then a maintenance charger could add 3-4 years onto the life of the battery under those conditions.

    No, if the battery dies I'll call the AA to replace it, I won't just have it jump started. The AA do a battery solar charger that can be fitted to the battery and left so I may get them to fit one, what do you think?

    http://shop.theaa.com/store/other/car-battery-solar-charger
  • daveyjp
    daveyjp Posts: 13,566 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    We had an Aygo which did less than 20,000miles in 6 years, the battery never suffered.

    The front brakes however did and at 12,000 needed replacing due to lack of use.
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