3 year old car - off the road

50Twuncle

What is the advice for getting a 3 year old car back on the road - after not being used / started for 3 + months ?

My Suzuki was serviced (by the dealership) on the last day before the lockdown and it looks as if it will remain on the drive, unused for the next 3 months + - will the battery hold its charge abd what about the oil - will that not all go in to the sump ?

Should I start the engine once a week or will that do more damage than good ?

AdrianC

It'll almost certainly need the battery charging, and definitely check the tyre pressures. But anything else - nah, it'll be fine.

Yes, the oil will all have gone into the sump. That's where it should be... It does that within minutes when you switch it off anyway, especially if the oil's good and hot.

[Deleted User]

Start the engine for 15 minutes every week. Obviously make sure you do it outside or in a well ventilated garage.

chrisw

Make sure you have the radio code if it needs one and disconnect the battery. I wouldn't bother with anything else.

I'm not a great believer is starting it every week as all you are doing is washing the oil off the cylinder bores with fuel and filling the exhaust with condensed water. 

daveyjp

Battery disconnected as it will go flat, (or decent battery charger connected), tyre pressures to about 10 psi above recommended level, handbrake off, car in gear, bricks behind wheels.

Scrapit

[DELETED USER] said:

Start the engine for 15 minutes every week. Obviously make sure you do it outside or in a well ventilated garage.

Not great advice.

Takmon

[DELETED USER] said:

Start the engine for 15 minutes every week. Obviously make sure you do it outside or in a well ventilated garage.

This will do more harm than good considering that the most wear to an engine happens when it is started from cold and not up to temperature. So there is no benefit in doing this at all.

J_B

AdrianC said:

It'll almost certainly need the battery charging

I just bought a solar battery charger off ebay for about £15 ...