Taken your car for a drive lately?
We recently bought a second car and now our old vehicle – the one we relied solely on previously – is sitting in the driveway most of the time, gathering dust and a white coating of spider webs.
It had me asking, “what will happen to my car if I don’t drive regularly?” The RAA Car Advice team have provided a list of things that might happen if I don’t take my old car for an extended drive regularly.
The battery
If you don’t drive your vehicle often, the battery can go flat. Infrequent use, or only making short trips will cause the battery to slowly reduce its charge. Eventually it will get to the point that the battery charge will be so depleted, it will not recover.
Idling for 20 minutes or making a 1km trip won’t give the battery enough to fully charge, so you need to either drive your vehicle regularly or consider a multi-stage battery charger. These chargers are suitable for batteries used in today’s modern vehicles.
Follow the charger’s instruction manual to correctly connect the cables to the battery and you can leave it for weeks, or even months. Some chargers come with easy quick-connect leads, making the process simpler.
The tyres
If you’re not using your vehicle for extended periods of time, flat spots can begin to form in the tyres.
Car Advice Manager Andrew Clark says this is where the tyre casing forms a memory from being in one position for a long period of time.
“The weight of the car constantly putting pressure on the same part of the tyres creates a dent,” he says.
“Tyres will also lose pressure when they sit for a long time. You need to take the car for a drive at lease once a week to stop either of these two things from happening.”
The fluids
The fluids are vital components in any car. Brake fluid helps you brake, coolant protects your engine from overheating and oil lubricates the metal parts.
When a car sits idle for a long time, the fluids don’t move and they risk becoming stale. It’s a good idea to run the engine every two weeks for about 10 minutes, or take a short drive to the shops. This will help keep everything under the bonnet running as it should.
The elements
Is your car in the garage or out in the open? If it’s sitting in your driveway, it’s exposed to the elements. Overhanging trees can drop sap and damage the car’s exterior, spiders and other bugs might take up residence, and the summer sun can cause the paint to fade.
If your vehicle isn’t being driven regularly, it might be worth investing in a car cover to protect it from the elements.
The service
It’s important to remember that vehicles are serviced by time or mileage, whichever comes first. So, don’t think because you’re not driving your vehicle often, it doesn’t need to be serviced.
Regular services help keep your car in good running condition and ensures any minor problems are fixed before they seriously damage the vehicle.
The solution
“While you may not drive your vehicle every day, it’s a good idea to take it for a drive for at least 20 minutes, no less than once a week,” says Andrew.
“This will help prevent any of the aforementioned problems occurring.”
Do you need car advice?
RAA members can contact our free Car Advice service for answers to their car questions.
Or call 8202 4689