12 weeks standing - effect on my car

[Macneil]

I've got a focus sitting in the car park at work that hasn't moved apart from 2 tours of the car park in 12 weeks, and not at all for 6 at least.

What should I do to be making it safe and not prone to damage when I get it ready to sell?

Also, I was looking for a new car before lockdown so I want to know what the possible long term effects are of buying a car that could well have been standing for months.

I'm not that worried, I'm sure cars sit for months in compounds anyway, but I'm not quite comfortable either.

[anonymous-user]

Pump up tyres to correct pressure and top it off with fresh fuel, away you go

[wsn03]

Try to get the battery charged. Keep the tyres pumped up. That should be sufficient depending on how long its sat. Driving it to stop tyre flat spots, even a few yards is good.

My sports car moves once i 3 months most of the year, no issues at all. My 206 Peugeot once in 6 months for drive to the tip, absolutely fine

[njw1]

wsn03 said:

Try to get the battery charged. Keep the tyres pumped up. That should be sufficient depending on how long its sat. Driving it to stop tyre flat spots, even a few yards is good.

My sports car moves once i 3 months most of the year, no issues at all. My 206 Peugeot once in 6 months for drive to the tip, absolutely fine

You have a car that is used twice a year just for tip runs?! Wow.

To add to what's already been said I also leave the handbrake off if a car is going to be stood for any length of time, hopefully yours hasn't seized op if it's been left on!

[Condi]

Don't need to do anything really. I left a car for 12 months and all it needed was a jump start. The motorbike hasn't moved in about 3 years, it'll need a new battery but not much else.

[A1VDY]

Just start it and drive it away, they'll be no harm done.
Brake a few times before getting up to any kind of speed to clean the discs up..

[gazza285]

Left my shed for a few months, when I went to move it next the NSF spring had broken and was sticking in the tyre.

[Old Merc]

I`ve been storing various cars over the winter for years, never a problem, just fit a fully charged battery and away you go. Mind you outside in a car park I would be more worried about it getting damaged, vandalised and bird s*** marking the paintwork.

[wsn03]

njw1 said:

wsn03 said:

Try to get the battery charged. Keep the tyres pumped up. That should be sufficient depending on how long its sat. Driving it to stop tyre flat spots, even a few yards is good.

My sports car moves once i 3 months most of the year, no issues at all. My 206 Peugeot once in 6 months for drive to the tip, absolutely fine

You have a car that is used twice a year just for tip runs?! Wow.

To add to what's already been said I also leave the handbrake off if a car is going to be stood for any length of time, hopefully yours hasn't seized op if it's been left on!

Ha...not really. My old 206 is worth nothing, I left it and my house when i settled down with my new wife.

3 years renovations on the house made it the mobile skip (I did most of the work myself).

The house is now a holiday cottage let out, the 206 is just sat in the garage, no future in my estate car world.

My mate is going to take it for his daily drive

[steveo3002]

check the tyres /fluids like you always should then drive away ...loads of cars sit for that long they dont dissolve in 12 weeks

brakes might grumble for the first few stops , its just the rust clearing away and nothing to be worried about