How long can a Chimaera be left.....
How long can a Chimaera be left.....
Author
Discussion

noobie

Original Poster:

69 posts

236 months

Wednesday 7th March 2007
quotequote all
without the battery going flat? The reason I ask is that I pick the car up on the 13th ( next week ) and am going on holiday soon afterwards. Worst nightmare after a 10 hour flight would be to return to a car that wouldn't start. The other problem which this then presents is how would I get to the battery to enable jump-starting? Any advice / similar experience much appreciated.

5LitreV8

1,261 posts

257 months

Wednesday 7th March 2007
quotequote all
noobie said:
without the battery going flat? The reason I ask is that I pick the car up on the 13th ( next week ) and am going on holiday soon afterwards. Worst nightmare after a 10 hour flight would be to return to a car that wouldn't start. The other problem which this then presents is how would I get to the battery to enable jump-starting? Any advice / similar experience much appreciated.



I think it varies from car to car, how new the battery is etc. Probably best to get a battery conditioner and get the battery tip top before you go.

Cheers.

5LitreV8

that daddy

19,457 posts

251 months

Wednesday 7th March 2007
quotequote all
I would not want to go more than 2 weeks with the alarm left on & no trickle,thats on the safe side.

hut49

3,544 posts

292 months

Wednesday 7th March 2007
quotequote all
If the battery is more than 3 years old do yourself a big favour and make the first item on your maintenance list "battery replacement". For the price of a tank of V-Power you get peace of mind and the ability to leave your car for a month - assuming nothing else is drawing current. Sure, you can buy a battery conditioner but if the existing battery is knackered (plates damaged) no amount of conditioning will get back lost capacity. Better to start afresh and then look after the new battery. I recently had to leave my Chimaera for 4 weeks and the 18 month old battery spun her over on the frosty morning and it fired up first time.

jonathant

880 posts

314 months

Wednesday 7th March 2007
quotequote all
I've had 16-17days whilst alarmed, you could always alarm/immobilise but not engage the cabin sensor?

poorpeet

837 posts

275 months

Wednesday 7th March 2007
quotequote all
Get one of those solar powered chargers. Not great but better than nothing.

lockhart flawse

2,103 posts

265 months

Wednesday 7th March 2007
quotequote all
Are you leaving it in an airport car park? I will probably get flamed but I often leave mine unlocked when I travel. It's relatively secure in an airport car park, most people can't open the door anyway and even if they can they would struggle to get it going without the blipper for the immobiliser.

If you don't leave anything in the cockpit you should be OK and you won't have a flat battery.

im

34,302 posts

247 months

Wednesday 7th March 2007
quotequote all
jonathant said:
I've had 16-17days whilst alarmed, you could always alarm/immobilise but not engage the cabin sensor?


confused How do you do that?

that daddy

19,457 posts

251 months

Wednesday 7th March 2007
quotequote all
How do you do that?Quote,,,,,,If their like the cobra you push another button within 30 secs of arming,i wouldent know for sure my car seems to be fitted with a Foxguard system(dont ask)soon to be Cobra CAT1.

grumbledoak

32,571 posts

263 months

Wednesday 7th March 2007
quotequote all
How old is the car; and how long it the holiday ? The RV8 requires lots of amps to start.

Mine lasted three weeks easy when new but when she was older it became less than a week, despite new batteries. At one point she was going flat so often that even the O/H can break into a Chim, remove the battery, and have it on the charger in sub- ten minutes.

It is easier to jump them under the bonnet than in the footwell...

Ribol

11,995 posts

288 months

Wednesday 7th March 2007
quotequote all
that daddy said:
How do you do that?Quote,,,,,,If their like the cobra you push another button within 30 secs of arming,i wouldent know for sure my car seems to be fitted with a Foxguard system(dont ask)soon to be Cobra CAT1.

Foxguard alarms can do that.

Before you leave the car turn ignition back on, hold the remote button down until you hear a single "chirp".
Get out, set alarm as normal, ultrasonics/micro/glass breakage circuits will all be off.
Once you turn the alarm off the circuit will be enabled again automatically.

Red V8

873 posts

257 months

Wednesday 7th March 2007
quotequote all
Best to lend the car to a mate to play with for a fortnight...

bigdods

7,175 posts

257 months

Wednesday 7th March 2007
quotequote all
Or buy one of those portable battery booster packs and keep it in the boot for when you come back...

jonathant

880 posts

314 months

Thursday 8th March 2007
quotequote all
im said:
jonathant said:
I've had 16-17days whilst alarmed, you could always alarm/immobilise but not engage the cabin sensor?


confused How do you do that?


My '99 Chim is fitted with a Meta alarm. If you blip the keyfob once to lock that engages the immobiliser and the cabin sensor (the indicators flash twice). If you *instead* press and hold the keyfob the cabin sensor is not used (the indicators flash three times). I'm pretty sure that the door/boot/bonnet sensors are sill used though.

im

34,302 posts

247 months

Thursday 8th March 2007
quotequote all
jonathant said:
im said:
jonathant said:
I've had 16-17days whilst alarmed, you could always alarm/immobilise but not engage the cabin sensor?


confused How do you do that?


My '99 Chim is fitted with a Meta alarm. If you blip the keyfob once to lock that engages the immobiliser and the cabin sensor (the indicators flash twice). If you *instead* press and hold the keyfob the cabin sensor is not used (the indicators flash three times). I'm pretty sure that the door/boot/bonnet sensors are sill used though.


confused I thought I had a Meta alarm.

After a drive, I get out and hold the button on the fob down for about 3 seconds as I'm told by Carl Baker that the alarm is on a "rolling code" and the car Alarms & Immobilises and the hazards flash 4 times - Not 2 or 3.

I only need to hold the button for a second to un-alarm/re-mobilise.

Does anyone know if this is a "meta-alarm"?

Is there a sequence of presses on the button I can use to alarm/immobilise but turn off the cabin sensor? It would be Soooo useful.

Cheers


Edited by im on Thursday 8th March 10:30

noobie

Original Poster:

69 posts

236 months

Thursday 8th March 2007
quotequote all
Red V8 said:
Best to lend the car to a mate to play with for a fortnight...


Hmmm......think I'd rather cut my arse off and sit in vinegar than let the pissed - up,reckless,irresponsible "friends" of mine within spitting distance of ANY from of motorised transport!

Thanks guys for all your input.