Storing a car for 3 weeks (no power)

[SV_WDC]

Cayman 987.2

The longest I've gone not driving the car is 2 weeks. Car is garaged but no power, and does start first time. I periodically get it on a trickle charger but wondering how long the car can be stored in those conditions before the battery doesnt have enough power to start the engine?

Would 3 weeks be too long for instance, I know things are supposedly worse in the winter due to cold weather?

Any thoughts appreciated

[Koln-RS]

3 weeks should be a breeze.
If it had had a good run first, and locked to go into shutdown mode, then 6 weeks should be no problem

[Twinfan]

My 981 has been fine for over 3 weeks before. Shouldn't be a problem unless your battery is on the way out.

[LimaDelta]

I leave my Hilux for up to 8-weeks without any special prep. Starts fine.

With my Exige, which had a much smaller battery, I would chock the wheels (handbrake off) and disconnect the battery cables. Bear in mind this disables the alarm and may have insurance implications.

3-weeks will not be a problem as long as the battery is in good health.

[designforlife]

3 weeks is nothing, it'll be fine.

[timbo999]

Both my SLK and Mrs Timbo's Clio survived unplugged for 5 weeks last winter whilst we were away so 3 weeks for a fit battery should be fine.

However, my Elise was dead as a doornail after 2 weeks!

[psi310398]

My Panamera once went two months (and it was cold) without any problem firing it up again.

[designforlife]

My integra DC5 did 10 weeks while i had surgery and recovery on a broken collarbone, and they have notoriously small batteries.

Look at it this way- if you go to start it after 3 weeks and its dead, at least you know it needs a new battery or has parasitic drain somewhere, then you can sort it out and not have to worry in future.

[GT03ROB]

psi310398 said:

My Panamera once went two months (and it was cold) without any problem firing it up again.

Mine does this regularly. No problem.

To be honest it varies car to car though.

[LordGrover]

Storing for three weeks = parking.

[walamai]

As others have said, definitely no problem. It will actually put itself in a kind of 'sleep' mode to preserve the battery. I didn't drive my 987 all that regularly and it put itself to sleep probably 3 or 4 times in the 12 months I owned it. You just need to open the door with the key, start it and in t all comes back to life again.

Just don't do what I did and park it where you can't get to the drivers door! https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

[SV_WDC]

Great, thanks all.

And yes Walamai - I recalled that thread but couldn't find it anywhere.

Is there a way to lock a Cayman so it goes into shutdown mode automatically, or will it only happen automatically after a week?

[walamai]

SV_WDC said:

Is there a way to lock a Cayman so it goes into shutdown mode automatically, or will it only happen automatically after a week?

I don't think there is. For 3 weeks you really have nothing to worry about though.

LordGrover said:

Storing for three weeks = parking.