What Modern(ish) Cars Can Be Left For Months at a Time?
Discussion
I have an old Toyota (21 years old to be exact) that stays abroad and gets used just a handful of times a year. It's a true blooded old school thing that can be left months (years even, over Covid) at a time and once the battery is reconnected, it will just fire up. I love the thing but, it's certainly showing its age now. It's needed next to nothing during my ownership of it but I have that gut feeling of some bills on the way.
Looking at possible replacements has got me stumped. Ideally manual, 4wd almost a must, no hybrid / EV due to being left for long periods, spare wheel would be good. There's nothing new out there that will tick the box, or is there?
Closest I've got is a Dacia Duster 4x4 manual, or a Kia Sportage AWD, both of which can come with spares from what I've seen. They'd have to be 2018 > 2022 era to avoid any hybrid batteries. I don't know much about either car except, the Duster didn't exactly ace the EuroNCAP tests. There's the occasional Quattro / VW / Seat AWD things... but from anecdotal evidence, I'm not sure any of them would like to be left months at a time.
It has to fit into a garage so mid size SUV size max. Happy to go smaller.
It seems that the days of simple, reliable, safe cars are gone but I'd be very happy to be proven wrong...
Looking at possible replacements has got me stumped. Ideally manual, 4wd almost a must, no hybrid / EV due to being left for long periods, spare wheel would be good. There's nothing new out there that will tick the box, or is there?
Closest I've got is a Dacia Duster 4x4 manual, or a Kia Sportage AWD, both of which can come with spares from what I've seen. They'd have to be 2018 > 2022 era to avoid any hybrid batteries. I don't know much about either car except, the Duster didn't exactly ace the EuroNCAP tests. There's the occasional Quattro / VW / Seat AWD things... but from anecdotal evidence, I'm not sure any of them would like to be left months at a time.
It has to fit into a garage so mid size SUV size max. Happy to go smaller.
It seems that the days of simple, reliable, safe cars are gone but I'd be very happy to be proven wrong...
You say no to EV but Tesla 3/Y will sit for months and months.
If you charged to 80% and just left it (with sentry mode / overheat off) you could easily leave it for a year.
Tesla have improved their systems now and the car goes to sleep and will use next to no power. Even if you dip into the app, so long as you don't venture from the home screen. The 12V will be kept at perfect voltage from the main pack too.
If you had access to power then its even better as you can just leave it plugged in on the granny charger and top up as needed and charge before you visit too.
If you charged to 80% and just left it (with sentry mode / overheat off) you could easily leave it for a year.
Tesla have improved their systems now and the car goes to sleep and will use next to no power. Even if you dip into the app, so long as you don't venture from the home screen. The 12V will be kept at perfect voltage from the main pack too.
If you had access to power then its even better as you can just leave it plugged in on the granny charger and top up as needed and charge before you visit too.
gotoPzero said:
You say no to EV but Tesla 3/Y will sit for months and months.
If you charged to 80% and just left it (with sentry mode / overheat off) you could easily leave it for a year.
Tesla have improved their systems now and the car goes to sleep and will use next to no power. Even if you dip into the app, so long as you don't venture from the home screen. The 12V will be kept at perfect voltage from the main pack too.
If you had access to power then its even better as you can just leave it plugged in on the granny charger and top up as needed and charge before you visit too.
Well I will confess, I didn't know any of the above. Our garage has no power and so charging would be a pain but in any case, you've given me some food for thought... and from what you say, that's very impressive. If you charged to 80% and just left it (with sentry mode / overheat off) you could easily leave it for a year.
Tesla have improved their systems now and the car goes to sleep and will use next to no power. Even if you dip into the app, so long as you don't venture from the home screen. The 12V will be kept at perfect voltage from the main pack too.
If you had access to power then its even better as you can just leave it plugged in on the granny charger and top up as needed and charge before you visit too.
They drop about 1% a week, give or take.
FWIW I left my Model 3 for about 7 weeks recently and it dropped less than 10%, and the company I left it with moved it 3 times. So I think the 1% a week is fairly accurate.
If you could get power to the car then you would be even better off.
I have no idea about other EVs - so this only really applies to Tesla. I know they did quite a bit of work a few years ago to improve the length of time you could leave parked.
FWIW I left my Model 3 for about 7 weeks recently and it dropped less than 10%, and the company I left it with moved it 3 times. So I think the 1% a week is fairly accurate.
If you could get power to the car then you would be even better off.
I have no idea about other EVs - so this only really applies to Tesla. I know they did quite a bit of work a few years ago to improve the length of time you could leave parked.
Hoofy said:
I thought an EV would prefer being left at ~50% charge if leaving for a lonnnggg time.
If he has power I would leave it at 50% yes.The reality is they dont like being left either 100% full or under 10% for long periods - thats where the damage happens. 90-10% you are ok but few days rather than months.
80-20% you are ok for a very long time and the damage done is minimal in reality.
Obviously storage voltage is what you want ideally - but the thing is the battery warranty is so long on these cars its not really an issue unless you plan to keep past 8 years old.
gotoPzero said:
Hoofy said:
I thought an EV would prefer being left at ~50% charge if leaving for a lonnnggg time.
If he has power I would leave it at 50% yes.The reality is they dont like being left either 100% full or under 10% for long periods - thats where the damage happens. 90-10% you are ok but few days rather than months.
80-20% you are ok for a very long time and the damage done is minimal in reality.
Obviously storage voltage is what you want ideally - but the thing is the battery warranty is so long on these cars its not really an issue unless you plan to keep past 8 years old.
Also, not everyone buys brand new cars. My PHEV is 10 years old. The battery is ~90% healthy so the previous owners didn't leave it on empty or full nor do fast charges (I don't think it's possible with this car, anyway) (although I think it's debatable as to whether fast charging damages the battery?).
Jazoli said:
Surely it s pretty much anything? many cars spend months idle, either stored in a field, on a boat, on a dealers forecourt or on a driveway, if it s ICE disconnect the battery, and stick some fuel stabiliser in it.
Yes, simple as that.On the other hand, leave the battery connected and many cars may struggle to start after just a few weeks.
vdn said:
ClaphamGT3 said:
One of the last of the Freelander IIs?
Not a bad shout... and a big improvement from the mk1 from what I understand. I'll be taking a look!Would keep it connected to a trickle charger though, they are very susceptible to low batteries and demand plenty of charge.
E-bmw said:
I know this won't help you to narrow it down but it may help you open up possibilities.
Pretty much any car with a good battery can be left for months at a time, and having driven one, I certainly wouldn't rule out a Duster. In fact, I would very much have one over anything from JLR.
As an aside, a client in Romania who owned a company involved in the oil & gas industry sold his fleet of Dusters and replaced them with............a fleet of older LR Freelander 2's. The Dusters weren't coping well with the rigours of daily off-roading apparently. Pretty much any car with a good battery can be left for months at a time, and having driven one, I certainly wouldn't rule out a Duster. In fact, I would very much have one over anything from JLR.
WestyCarl said:
My wife's 2001 MR2 Roadster is her summer car. From Oct-April it's in the garage with the battery disconnected. Every year it starts first time and passes the MOT with no issues (even advisories)
It only does 3-4k miles per year but I'm rather ashamed I've not even serviced it
Toyota! That's why I reckon! It only does 3-4k miles per year but I'm rather ashamed I've not even serviced it
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