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

How does that make it a water dispersant?

What about GT 85?

Does anyone know who actually makes GT85?

Tom

Better park up and send your licence back to Swansea.

1) Keep the salt off it underneath. particular attention to edge of wheel arches. Use garden hose, not recycled water commercial pressure wash. 2) Oil and filter changes every 12 months Get a suction oil change device and suck the sump oil up the dipstick tube every 4 to 6 months & replace. You could make it every 6 months but if you buy the oil right this will cost you =A315....( makes it easy if it has an undertray) 3) Keep it to manufacturers servicing other than above. 3) use a fully synthetic oil. Buy a full synthetic at half price (such as Halfords if it meets the spec) when they have "buy one get one free" sales on. 4) its galvanised so dont worry too much about rust. however deal with is as and (if) it appears with waxoil. No need to treat now and anyway it will invalidate the corrosion warranty. 5) Get to know the service manager, tell them what your objectives are re vehicle life. 6) Get it to operating temperature weekly and 20mile trip monthly 7) Dont cut costs on keeping up with it and stick with main dealer. Keep it away from the "little man" mechanic who is prone to not change antifreeze and using cheap oil. 8) Waxing paint wont make it last longer, save your energy for washing & oil changes.

My experience doing this VW polo 1043cc 1985..serviced by me from new for 17yrs.

Still usable at 17 years,served its purpose.

Water and oil are immiscible so it will displace the water and leave a grease film behind. Water is actually rather poor at sticking to things, so a nice none polar grease will do a much better job and just shove it out they way. It then sits on your ignition leads attracting dust until the gunk build up shorts the spark to ground in L3 of the M40 at 2am.

Ta for the replies all. Consensus seems to be 'extra bit of tlc and a regular good run' which is what we'll arrange.