What to do to look after my car whilst it's off road outside
Discussion
Hello,
Just yesterday I purchased an Audi A8, which I am keeping off the road for the next couple of weeks whilst I get the old registration put back on my Impreza and sell that. There is the potential that the car could be off the road for a month or more.
It's being stored in the car park where I work, which I've chosen as it is handily private land with gated access. My main concern is that I find cars are better when they're in regular use, and taking it out for a spin isn't going to be possible until my insurance is switched over. What can I do in the meantime to look after the car?
I'll have access to car cleaning facilities at work some days of the week (we maintain our own fleet of cars there), but that will typically only be when I'm working during the day. There is 24hr access to an air pump so I'll be rigorously checking the tyre pressures. I'll be going out with a bucket and sponge every couple of days to wipe it down incase it gets any bird lime on it.
What more can I do to care for it? Would it benefit from being fired up and given 10 mins at idle every couple of days, just to keep some charge in the battery? It does have a solar sunroof panel which can be used to work an interior fan to pre-cool the car on hot days, but I'm not sure if this panel is 'topping up' the battery as it goes.
Also, I have the V5 written up and it will be going in the post on monday. The car still has a few months tax on it and will be SORN'ed. Can I do that online when I'm not the registered keeper, or will I need to get the paperwork back and then do it? As I understand it, I should get the tax back when I return the car to the road, how does that work? Do you have to surrender the tax disc and retain some 'credit' with the DVLA?
Just yesterday I purchased an Audi A8, which I am keeping off the road for the next couple of weeks whilst I get the old registration put back on my Impreza and sell that. There is the potential that the car could be off the road for a month or more.
It's being stored in the car park where I work, which I've chosen as it is handily private land with gated access. My main concern is that I find cars are better when they're in regular use, and taking it out for a spin isn't going to be possible until my insurance is switched over. What can I do in the meantime to look after the car?
I'll have access to car cleaning facilities at work some days of the week (we maintain our own fleet of cars there), but that will typically only be when I'm working during the day. There is 24hr access to an air pump so I'll be rigorously checking the tyre pressures. I'll be going out with a bucket and sponge every couple of days to wipe it down incase it gets any bird lime on it.
What more can I do to care for it? Would it benefit from being fired up and given 10 mins at idle every couple of days, just to keep some charge in the battery? It does have a solar sunroof panel which can be used to work an interior fan to pre-cool the car on hot days, but I'm not sure if this panel is 'topping up' the battery as it goes.
Also, I have the V5 written up and it will be going in the post on monday. The car still has a few months tax on it and will be SORN'ed. Can I do that online when I'm not the registered keeper, or will I need to get the paperwork back and then do it? As I understand it, I should get the tax back when I return the car to the road, how does that work? Do you have to surrender the tax disc and retain some 'credit' with the DVLA?
I don't really have the option of leaving it on a trickle charger as it's parked outside with no power outlets nearby. Hence my plan for giving it 10 mins at idle, just to let the oil move a little and warm things through and to let the battery charge through a bit. As I say, I don't know if the solar sunroof panel is feeding the battery or not. There are a lot of electrical systems in the car, I'd rather keep the battery plugged in and working if possible.
When I had my TT, it had an issue with the ESP system, which apparently could be brought on by a sudden power cut like the battery failing or the top end going (which is what did it, I think). So I am understandably nervous, given that the TT caused me so much grief. I hasted to add though it wasn't quite the example the A8 is, but I still want the best for it.
When I had my TT, it had an issue with the ESP system, which apparently could be brought on by a sudden power cut like the battery failing or the top end going (which is what did it, I think). So I am understandably nervous, given that the TT caused me so much grief. I hasted to add though it wasn't quite the example the A8 is, but I still want the best for it.
It must be an audi thing.
I bought a cabriolet a4 the other week and won't be using it till next spring.
What I've done is over inflated the tyres to 40 psi to stop any flat spots developing , then i bought a cheap breathable car cover from ebay for a tenner and cable tied it to the car.
And as said previously leave the handbrake off and disconnect the battery.
I bought a cabriolet a4 the other week and won't be using it till next spring.
What I've done is over inflated the tyres to 40 psi to stop any flat spots developing , then i bought a cheap breathable car cover from ebay for a tenner and cable tied it to the car.
And as said previously leave the handbrake off and disconnect the battery.
Do not let the car just idle for 10 minutes! You'll do more damage to the battery than anything else. It won't recharge the battery in 10 minutes, nor is it good for the engine. The oil won't get warm on idle and it'll only cause more potential problems. Our S class very rarely gets driven. Lucky if its driven once a month. My trickle charger broke months ago and its been fine without it.
Just leave it be. Clean it if you get bird boo on it but other than that just leave it be!
Just leave it be. Clean it if you get bird boo on it but other than that just leave it be!
keemaklan said:
Do not let the car just idle for 10 minutes! You'll do more damage to the battery than anything else. It won't recharge the battery in 10 minutes, nor is it good for the engine. The oil won't get warm on idle and it'll only cause more potential problems. Our S class very rarely gets driven. Lucky if its driven once a month. My trickle charger broke months ago and its been fine without it.
Just leave it be. Clean it if you get bird boo on it but other than that just leave it be!
All of that. I'd suggest over-inflating the tyres a few PSI, to stop them from going square.Just leave it be. Clean it if you get bird boo on it but other than that just leave it be!
A month? A month? Do you not fly out of the country go on holidays ever?
My Caterham can not move for months. Start it, warm it, check pressures and levels, gentle run to check everything is as it should be, thrap it, cool down, park in garage, leave it.
I'm sure that the good folk at Audi built their flagship A8 with the understanding that it may not be used for a month - it's a car, not a pet, it will be fine. And if it's not fine, then if you don't mind me saying, it sounds like you have a rather problematic car.
My Caterham can not move for months. Start it, warm it, check pressures and levels, gentle run to check everything is as it should be, thrap it, cool down, park in garage, leave it.
I'm sure that the good folk at Audi built their flagship A8 with the understanding that it may not be used for a month - it's a car, not a pet, it will be fine. And if it's not fine, then if you don't mind me saying, it sounds like you have a rather problematic car.
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