Leaving your car outside for extended periods

Leaving your car outside for extended periods

Author
Discussion

AshVanguard

Original Poster:

66 posts

164 months

Wednesday 20th July 2011
quotequote all
Hi all
im going to be leaving my beautiful Yaris TS on my drive for approx a year as im moving to Japan, what sort of things should i do to keep it in good condition? A good cover? but from where? etc
thanks
Ash

mcflurry

9,099 posts

254 months

Wednesday 20th July 2011
quotequote all
It's waterproof isn't it wink

sherman

13,363 posts

216 months

Wednesday 20th July 2011
quotequote all
Over inflate the tyres abit so you dont get a flat spot
Park it on the flat and take the handbrake off so it doesnt stick
Lock the car and that should be fine.

I wouldnt put a cover on it as it will just flap about in the wind trap dirt and ultimately scratch the paint.

kambites

67,593 posts

222 months

Wednesday 20th July 2011
quotequote all
Put it up on axle stands if you want the tyres to survive.

Leave it out of gear with the handbrake off.

Take the battery out of the car and stick it on a trickle charger.

Change the coolant before you go to make sure its anti-corrosion properties are as good as possible.

If you care about the paintwork, wash it and put a decent coat of good wax on it.

Get a load of those dehumidification crystals and put them in a pot in the car to keep it dry inside.


I wouldn't bother with a cover, in my experience it eventually just gets damp underneath and then you have moisture trapped against the car.

edo

16,699 posts

266 months

Wednesday 20th July 2011
quotequote all
kambites said:
Put it up on axle stands if you want the tyres to survive.

Leave it out of gear with the handbrake off.

Take the battery out of the car and stick it on a trickle charger.

Change the coolant before you go to make sure its anti-corrosion properties are as good as possible.

If you care about the paintwork, wash it and put a decent coat of good wax on it.

Get a load of those dehumidification crystals and put them in a pot in the car to keep it dry inside.


I wouldn't bother with a cover, in my experience it eventually just gets damp underneath and then you have moisture trapped against the car.
All of this. Depending on the likelihood of bird ste, then a decent breathable FITTED cover might be an idea.

Y282

20,566 posts

173 months

Wednesday 20th July 2011
quotequote all
that's a relatively new car. shouldn't be too bad.

y2blade

56,130 posts

216 months

Wednesday 20th July 2011
quotequote all
is selling it and buying another in a years time not a better option?

just asking

kambites

67,593 posts

222 months

Wednesday 20th July 2011
quotequote all
y2blade said:
is selling it and buying another in a years time not a better option?
With something like a Yaris which is presumably likely to suffer heavy depreciation, that would probably be my approach.

Cupramax

10,482 posts

253 months

Wednesday 20th July 2011
quotequote all
AshVanguard said:
Hi all im going to be leaving my beautiful Yaris TS on my drive for approx a year as im moving to Japan,
I wouldn't be worrying about my car if I was moving to Japan redface get yourself a radiation suit laugh

redgriff500

26,910 posts

264 months

Wednesday 20th July 2011
quotequote all
JUst park it without the H brake on and ideally get someone to start it up occasionally.

Best really to just get your mum to drive it rather than standing.

Covers tend to make it worse IME.

y2blade

56,130 posts

216 months

Wednesday 20th July 2011
quotequote all
kambites said:
y2blade said:
is selling it and buying another in a years time not a better option?
With something like a Yaris which is presumably likely to suffer heavy depreciation, that would probably be my approach.
I didn't want to offend the OP but that is what popped into my mind.


AshVanguard

Original Poster:

66 posts

164 months

Wednesday 20th July 2011
quotequote all
There is NO deprecation on blue steel!! aka t-sporto. i might just try and fit it in the garage. i havent got any axle things or coolant, wax may be a good idea though

kambites

67,593 posts

222 months

Wednesday 20th July 2011
quotequote all
AshVanguard said:
There is NO deprecation on blue steel!! aka t-sporto. i might just try and fit it in the garage. i havent got any axle things or coolant, wax may be a good idea though
It would be cheaper to buy axle stands now than to buy new tyres in a year's time.

y2blade

56,130 posts

216 months

Wednesday 20th July 2011
quotequote all
AshVanguard said:
There is NO deprecation on blue steel!! aka t-sporto. i might just try and fit it in the garage. i havent got any axle things or coolant, wax may be a good idea though
fair enough smile

please excuse my ignorance, I know nothing of these Yaris/Yari/Yarisisis


HellDiver

5,708 posts

183 months

Wednesday 20th July 2011
quotequote all
All rubbish. My housemate came home one day, parked his 2 year old Pug 206 outside the house. Next day got a lift, ended up in a very nasty car accident, hospital for 3 months, home in bed another 6 months. Didn't drive for another 4 months.

The 206 was only started once shortly after the accident to budge it in to the corner of the yard, and sat for just over a year.

After 13 months it needed a booster pack to start it 9just not enough juice to crank, but central locking still worked), and a very good cleaning to get rid of the green stuff that had grown around the wipers and window rubbers. He didn't even bother servicing it, and it's still going 6 years later.

If a stty French hatch with no preperation can survive 13 months, then your Yaris can.

Dracoro

8,685 posts

246 months

Wednesday 20th July 2011
quotequote all
How secure is the location of the car?

I wouldn't leave a car on axle stands, battery disconnected, on a trickle charger somewhere where it could get nicked.

Perd Hapley

1,750 posts

174 months

Wednesday 20th July 2011
quotequote all
AshVanguard said:
There is NO deprecation on blue steel!! aka t-sporto. i might just try and fit it in the garage. i havent got any axle things or coolant, wax may be a good idea though
Choose your own adventure. You've got a garage? If yes, go to page 200. If you don't have a garage, go to page 203.

Page 200: Clear out your garage and put the car in it.
Page 203: The jewel thieves discover you hiding in the crate and throw you out of the helicopter. You have died.

steveo3002

10,536 posts

175 months

Wednesday 20th July 2011
quotequote all
pump the tyres up hard /or stands if its in safe location

wash n wax the paintwork

handbrake off

battery off

couple of the caravan damp prevention thingys

maybe ask a friend to wash it now n then

PhillipM

6,524 posts

190 months

Wednesday 20th July 2011
quotequote all
kambites said:
Put it up on axle stands if you want the tyres to survive.

Leave it out of gear with the handbrake off.

Take the battery out of the car and stick it on a trickle charger.

Change the coolant before you go to make sure its anti-corrosion properties are as good as possible.

If you care about the paintwork, wash it and put a decent coat of good wax on it.

Get a load of those dehumidification crystals and put them in a pot in the car to keep it dry inside.


I wouldn't bother with a cover, in my experience it eventually just gets damp underneath and then you have moisture trapped against the car.
This.
A small amount of oil down the bores doesn't hurt either but if you're not mechanically minded don't attempt it.

I agree with not bothering with the cover too, over the long term if the car is outside in the wind they will cause more damage than they prevent - expect the paintwork to be rubbed through everywhere they touch the car. They work indoors for keeping dust off cars, but don't bother if it's outside.

johnpeat

5,328 posts

266 months

Wednesday 20th July 2011
quotequote all
Before you disconnect the battery, make sure you have the radio code!!

No need to put it on axle stands, just overinflate the tyres by a good 5-6 psi and they'll be fine.

If the drive is on a slope, STILL leave it out of gear and handbrake off - chock it to stop it rolling instead.

I'd really consider selling it tho - you'll have to insure it (and possibly tax it depending on where it's being left) and it will be losing money and doing nothing - so...