Using a car once a month - how to lay it up?

[sebhaque]

I've noticed that I'm using one of my cars only once a month (worst "I have multiple cars" ever post etc etc) and was just wondering what the most mechanically sympathetic way is to leave it parked up for a month at a time. It's a 2009 car that's well-maintained so it's not in any danger of dud batteries or leaky seals etc - but I want to make sure I'm looking after it even though it's laid up most of the time.

My main questions are - what are the general preservation steps to perform? I leave it with the handbrake off but in reverse gear (it's parked on a slight forward incline), I start it up once every fortnight for 10 minutes or so while I check the tyres, lights and fluids. Every month it does at least a 20 mile trip with a run or two to the redline when warm to keep it all working well.

Do I have anything to be worried about? It's obviously a bit sad to see my pride and joy sat in the corner looking unloved, but I do love that car and can't bring myself to sell it. Man maths dictate that it pays for itself on the one drive a month it gets when the sun is out, the roads are empty and I can have a blast exploring the power.

Sorry if I'm not the most coherent tonight, I've just finished my 3rd ale and I've only just noticed they're 6.5%!

[sebhaque]

Thanks for the responses guys. I normally let the car idle for 30 seconds and then rev it to 2500rpm for a few seconds, let go, repeat a few times until the coolant's at temperature. The oil isn't near running temperature but I thought it was better than nothing. Happy to leave it alone for the month, I only ran it every fortnight because I didn't want the oil to drain from the top of the engine.

I can't plug a trickle charger in as the nearest plug point has to go through the front door (it's very sealed) or the garage plug point needs a good 10m of extension and I'd rather not leave a charger exposed to the elements outside the car.

[sebhaque]

Sheepshanks said:

sebhaque said:

It's a 2009 car that's well-maintained so it's not in any danger of dud batteries

I wouldn't assume anything about the battery - these days they tend to just fail out of the blue. I regard each time my Merc starts as something of a miracle!

sebhaque said:

Every month it does at least a 20 mile trip with a run or two to the redline when warm to keep it all working well.

I know you said at least 20 miles, but I reckon it takes 20 miles to get everything warmed through. My Merc can sometimes sit this long and I make a point of using it for a 40 mile round trip.

I take your point regarding instant battery failure, I've had the full Christmas tree display in my old cars when the batteries are on their way out. The car was serviced in December and the battery health check said it was at 86% - I don't see a dying battery as a particularly massive inconvenience though, they're consumables after all. It does take a while to get everything nice and warm, if I'm in traffic it can take half an hour for the oil to reach its working temperature! I always make sure it's nice and toasty before giving it a bootful.

The car's a 370Z if anybody was wondering. Nothing overly special but I love it

007 VXR said:

LdnShtr said:

I probably only get to use my M3 once a month or so because it lives at my parents' house. I live in London and use public transport to get everywhere so it means on the odd occasion I do get to use it it feels like a real treat. I'd like to use it more but where I am there is really no point. It would take at least an hour to make it outside the M25 and anything resembling a road worth driving it on. On the plus side it's keeping the miles down on it.

i live at work so only get to use my Monaro 2/3 times a month, but still puts a on my face everytime i get to use it and that's after 8 years owning it.
would be a lot cheaper to pay for taxis all year than keep the car, but were is the PH fun in that ?

I agree with both of you, even just starting the car up puts a smile on my face - the way it barks into life and rattles the garage door is childishly satisfying. It's definitely a treat when I get to drive mine and I also appreciate the ownershp a lot more - I used to daily a 997 and sitting in traffic and trying to get "safe" car parking spaces every day grew tiresome very often, to the stage where I didn't actually enjoy driving the car at all any more. While financially it probably isn't the best idea to have a car sleeping for 29 days a month, the smiles-per-gallon vastly outweigh the financial burden.

[sebhaque]

Claudia Skies said:

Silly boy. What's the point of an unattainable dream (albeit perfect for internet nerds, clicking away in their bedrooms) when you can be out in the real world and having a good time every day!

Was that meant for me? While the 370Z isn't my dream car, it's perfectly attainable, I would rather spend my time driving something else to keep the halo image/make the Z that much more special. The real world with its commuting and grocery shopping etc isn't condusive to driving around in a proper pride-and-joy type car.

FWIW seeing as you're also from Bristol (Bradley Stoke here) you probably appreciate how stty the lefty government have made the roads, hence why the odd occasion I decide to dodge the myriad of speed bumps, speed cameras, ridiculous speed limits, anti-speed road furniture and other similarly st ideas, I enjoy taking my favourite car for a drive.