Storing a new car

there is a whole ritual of procedures to do this properly. anyone who has a boat/aeroplane (i dont) would know.

but i ask ...a brand new mini? how long will you be able to resist going for a spin every now and then?

Purchased a new car but hasn't got the money for lessons?

You can kiss goodbye to £1000 depreciation as soon as it leaves the showroom.

I presume we are talking blonde here!!!

Are you?....Blonde I mean?

She was bought it!

Go visit

and see his FAQ - there is one about storing a car for more than three months which would be ideal.

As well as Mr Johns recommendations I'd also take the plugs out, put a big gob of lithium grease in the cylinders and turn the engine over slowly with the plugs out to coat the bores and prevent rusting. NB: this can make it an absolute pig to start when yo finally get round to driving it but the bores won't rust.

In news:1cb6xk4gvlgzy.bxalnuypw54c$. snipped-for-privacy@40tude.net, Chris Street decided to enlighten our sheltered souls with a rant as follows

and the by products from trying to start it will, more likely than not, absolutely *shaft* the catalytic converter.

I'd just leave it in the garage for a few months, if the garage is dry it'll do no harm.

our

Or you could follow the manufacturers procedures and shove it on a disused airfield with thousands of others. No problem.

Steve

Too right........

Wouldnt it just be better to pass the test and then buy the car, surley a much simpler solution. What if she doesnt pass the test? Will make a nice workbench/shelf in the garage I suppose.........

Steve

The message from Chris Street contains these words:

How are you going to get the grease runny enough to spread round the bores instead of sitting in one place? A light squirt of WD40 down each bore would do just as well. Has the advantage of not containing metal salts (like lithium) which may well bugger up the cat.

Not that I'd bother with either - bores ain't going to rust in a few months in a garage.

Change the girlfriend. Anyone stupid to spend several thousand pounds on a brand new car they can't drive because they can't afford the lessons is trouble waiting to happen. Common sense would have said to spend money on lessons first.

But thats using common sense Steve.

I thought most new BMW engines used Nikasil. Had some problems with cheap high sulphur fuel in the UK as the UK trade will sell any rubbish they can get away with. Been using it on bike engines since the K "flying brick" was introduced - 20 years ago now?

Take the weight off the tyres so the bottom part of the side wall doesn't take a set. If possible use the battery on something else alternate weeks. Turn engine over on starter every few weeks (4 at longest) with fuel pump fuse and plugs removed this will move some oil round the engine and up to the piston rings.

Be fine over summer so long as the place is ventilated and doesn't leak. Outside but not on long grass is better than in a damp place. Make sure any cover doesn't reach the floor and prevent flow of air under car, indoors a simple dust sheet is best.

In news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com, Peter Hill decided to enlighten our sheltered souls with a rant as follows

Um, the Mini uses a DaimlerChrysler engine :-)

Something that is a bit irritating to BMW I imagine.

Ummm. I think the OP stated that the car for bought for the girlfriend. Someone elses money. Not hers.

Ya,

Its a bit complicated.

The car was bought for her, by someone perhaps lacking in the common sense dept.

Course I didn't just say that!

I thought the same until I trashed the bores on my bike after four months being laid up in summer. Since then I've used light grease and cleaned it out with no problems on bikes and cars - lithium should have no effect on a platinum/rhodium cat whatsoever.

All future mother-in-laws are like that though....

No, but you thought it real loud.....

Wonders what kind of mother in law has one of "them"

*worried*