infrequent car use

Have two cars.

The older of the two -- the 95 Chevy Cavalier -- I've been trying to put as many miles on it as possible. Whenever we're driving around town we use the Cavalier and whenever there's an hour or two hour trip I opt for the Cavalier. The thing is starting to rust out and I figure within a few years it will be unbearable so I might as well get as much out of it as I can.

Because we're leaning so heavily on the Cavalier, we barely ever start up the Toyota Avalon. My wife will use it for grocery shopping and a few errands around town when I'm at work, but that's about it. Most of the time it sits there.

I was wondering if these little, infrequent jaunts could damage the Toyota. I seem to remember someone -- friend, coworker...don't know who -- saying that you don't want to buy a car from the stereotypical little old lady who used the car only for grocery shopping because this infrequent use damaged the engine. How? I don't know. Is this a myth, or does it have some truth to it?

Reply to
denaman
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Its not the infrequent use, its the short trips.

if the engine does not get fully warmed up, the condensation (and maybe some fuel) never gets driven out of the oil. Also, you may get sludging.

Now, both of these issues are much less severe in modern cars using modern oils than they were in, say, the '60s or '70s.

Use the avalon infrequently, but use it for some longer trips instead of the around-town use.

Dave

Reply to
spamTHISbrp

Try and drive it once a week or so at least.

The thing is, a lot of parts like hoses and belts will deteriorate when you aren't using the car. As a result, people get a car that has been under light use for a long time, they start driving it heavily, and rubber parts start failing right and left. They aren't failing prematurely because the car was lightly used.... but if the car were more heavily used, they would have been replaced ages ago.

But do try and get it up to temperature on the highway once a week to keep condensation from rusting out the exhaust and keep the belts up.

--scott

Reply to
Scott Dorsey

Your Owner Manual should say something about the Severe and Normal driving catagories. What you describe fits into severe driving conditions. I suggest following these guidlines that show how to maintain your Avalon, especially where it concerns severe driving conditions and using superior motor oils and oil & air filters to protect your engine.

Reply to
rhiebert

I know a couple of gals who have not driven for a very long time. The batteries will be flat. What are my prospects for using my little old trickle charger, if I can find it, to put them back into action?

I also have a homemade solar panel to plug into a cigarette lighter, but that is just to keep the battery ok that has no problem yet.

Nils K. Hammer

Reply to
synthius2002

Thanks guys. Kind of thought so, but wasn't sure.

Reply to
denaman

About what?

Reply to
Noozer

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