Low use car - how to make it last... I mean really last.

-have it serviced as per car manual

-drive slowly, like a rolls chauffer

-have it washed by hand or car wash regularly (Important!!)

cars usually start going downhill after you have your first accident

dont worry too much,some of car longevity is not in your complete control. luck also is a factor

Starting with the basics. Reguarly wash and wax any painted panels (including inside off doors, door pillars etc). Washing gets rid off all the dirt, that aids corrosion, and the coating off wax will provide a protective barrier between the panels and dirt/moisture. Get the underbody (including any channels/cavitie), inside the bonnet, inside door panels, panels around the engine, basically anything you can't get into to wash and wax, covered with a good wax (waxoyl or similar). Don't use underseal, as if moisture gets underneath it, it'll stay trapped there and cause far more problems in the long term.

Next thing to consider is the mechanics. Get any small faults sorted when they occur, so they don't develop into any major faults. As for maintenance, cars used for low mileages/short distances, are very hard on the engine. Make sure the oil is reguarly changed as per the service schedule, possibly even more often as on regular short journeys the oil will get contaminated with petrol during the cold running, and accelerate engine wear. As for the other mechanical components, just make sure they're maintained as per service schedule, and ensure any fluid changes (brake fluid, coolant etc..) are done as per the service schedule. Keeping the fluids fresh helps to prevent internal corrosion.

If the vehicle isn't going to be used for a couple weeks at a time, I'd recommend you get a small battery charger, just to keep the battery topped up (there are small units designed for keeping the battery conditioned over long periods off time). Starting the engine, and letting it run is likely to cause more damage in the long term, than not running it at all.

I'm sure others will be along with their recommendations aswell.

Well, things I do to keep my cars in good shape :-

Change the oil twice a year, at the beginning of summer and at the beginning of winter even if you do low miles. Spray all nuts and bolts, earthing points etc... regularly with WD40. After taking the car out on a wet winters day, wash the underside of the car, get rid of the salt. Take the car for a run once a month or every two months and once the engine is fully warmed up accelerate all the way to the red line a couple of times to keep the valves etc clean and removes water from the exhaust system. If parking for extended periods of time keep the car in gear and don't use the handbrake. Change the brake fluid every two years. Wax car every six months.

Andy

I don't agree with that if the engine is a consideration. Modern engines like to be thrashed. It keeps condensed water out of the oil. However, as a disabled driver your friend may not wish or be able to drive fast. But that's another issue.

Rob Graham

In message , Rob graham writes

Depends:

Im disabled and always drive with enthusiasm.

In article , Sim G. writes

No chance. For a start, it's French. Look at all the posts complaining about French cars in this group.

However, as a

Me too, you definately don't want to labour it, but you also don't want to thrash it when cold.

Out of curiosity what's the WD40 for? Does it prevent rust?

I've just been thinking. He's disabled, so I doubt that he'll be able to do all of this work himself, and it'd cost a fortune to get all of this done.

The message from petermcmillan snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com contains these words:

Yes - and frankly that's about its only use. It's not a particularly good lubricant and it's not much cop as a penetrating and easing oil.

You have to use them. Short shopping trips will kill it. Seen cars that only do short trips need a bottom end engine rebuild at 50,000. OTOH, motorway trampers do 200,000+ with little problem.

driving farther than necessary means wear on the shocks and other perishable parts and especially important: greater chance of accident

you can (and will probably do anyways after 10years) have a mechanic rebuild a worn engine successfully. you can even have the engine swapped.

a corroded/ fatigued or impacted car chassis however cannot in most cases be economically repaired nor replaced.

i like to say "my other car is a bus". makes economic sense

Why is it that it can stop squeaks and stuff? Some people swear by it for squeaky wheels (not car wheels, things like wheels on wheel barrows) etc.

Probably

I really wanna see how long my parents car lasts, but I think they'll die before it reaches 50,000miles lol. It gets so much abuse though, and it's brand new. They also have a habit of getting home, leaving it in the driveway until the evening when it's cold, and then putting back in. Other than that it gets laboured and my mum doesn't even know when she's doing it. It's just such as waste. It hardly ever does long trips either.

Delete "french cars" and replace with "Renault" which are far worse than Citroen Peugeot.

Me too, but i`m in a Hyundai Accent.

I`d *like* to be able to drive with enthusiasm, but...

The message from petermcmillan snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com contains these words:

Because it's a lubricant, but there are far better lubricants on the market for almost every conceivable[1] occasion. WD40 just happens to be well advertised and in a handy can. Wheelbarrow wheels, for example, would benefit from grease rather than a squirt from a general purpose can. Stiff nipples come off better with graphited penetrating and easing oil, locks deserve graphite powder, etc.

Look at the contents. It's a mix of a heavy grease and a light solvent so you can squirt it IIRC

Possibly worth a block heater if it's only ever going to do short runs - that way it may get some running at full temp?

I'd also say swap the oil twice as often as needed to clear out all the contaminants that will invariably accumulate.