Low mileage cars that sit - why is it bad?

[gfh77665]

Originally Posted By: KB2008X
Originally Posted By: Chris142
Plus when a car sits long periods it gets more start up wear than one thats started every day.


Huh ? That's incorrect.

A car that is started less often gets less start up wear than a car that gets started more often.

Keith


Imagine a car started once a month. Now, one that is started 2X a day, once in morning & once in evening. At the end of a year, first car has 12 starts. The other has 600+ starts.

No way the one with 12 starts has more starting wear than the one with 600+!

 

[AVB]

I think the idea of a car being parked long term being worse than driving the car came from people wearing out cars then parking them. The next time someone tries to drive the car it is in bad shape, because it was already worn out to begin with or it wouldn't have been parked.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Originally Posted By: Carnoobie
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Originally Posted By: TFB1
Unless there is a way moisture can enter the engine while setting, rust will be a ZERO issue, period... I have a engine out in the garage that last ran in the '80s, had no problem 20yr later when I removed the heads to use on another engine...


Condensation gets in the engine from temperature changes. I resurrected a truck that sat for ten years...and I probably got close to two quarts of water out of the oil pan before I got any oil!

So no matter what kind of weather or if the car is garaged or not, water will get inside the engine mixing with the oil?


Reread what I posted, it is perfectly clear.

 

[hattaresguy]

Only time I ever saw serious internal rust was on an engine that was submerged in salt water for years. Or was left outside uncovered for a few decades.

Inside storage with oil in it won't lead to internal rust unless your in a tropical environment.

Light surface rust isn't a big deal the pistol rings will just scrape it off.

 

[SS1970chrysler]

My '66 Chrysler 300 only has 11k on it and it's still just fine. Oil is changed every other year and stored indoors. No problems or undue corrosion.

 

[sciphi]

I had lots of rust issues that ultimately forced me to ditch a great-running but splitting apart Buick last year that had sat outside for 3 years when I got it at 8 years old and 29k miles on it. Most of the fluids were shot on it too.

Storing a car indoors on concrete is preferable to storing it outside for body corrosion alone, at least up here in NY where salt is a fact of life.

 

[LeakySeals]

What do you mean by ditch? Motor and tranny were worth decent money.

 

[TFB1]

Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Originally Posted By: Carnoobie
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Originally Posted By: TFB1
Unless there is a way moisture can enter the engine while setting, rust will be a ZERO issue, period... I have a engine out in the garage that last ran in the '80s, had no problem 20yr later when I removed the heads to use on another engine...


Condensation gets in the engine from temperature changes. I resurrected a truck that sat for ten years...and I probably got close to two quarts of water out of the oil pan before I got any oil!

So no matter what kind of weather or if the car is garaged or not, water will get inside the engine mixing with the oil?


Reread what I posted, it is perfectly clear.


MAYBE if it sets open, WITHOUT valve covers, but no modern engine with a closed breather PCV system in place is going to breath enough to allow moisture inside the engine...

 

[otis24]

One thing would be the A/C system. I run mine 15 minutes, once a month, during the winter. This circulates the oil and keeps the seals lubed.

Older, lower mileage cars may see a lot more starting and stopping. People who drive short distances are probably stopping a lot, then restarting. More cranks on the starter as opposed to someone who is driving longer distances. Short distance drivers are also probably using the brakes a lot more than say someone who hops on the highway and drives a longer distance.

 

[moto94536]

just make sure you start the car every 2 weeks, until the car reach normal operation temp. I will also run the AC.

 

[Carnoobie]

Originally Posted By: otis24
One thing would be the A/C system. I run mine 15 minutes, once a month, during the winter. This circulates the oil and keeps the seals lubed.

Older, lower mileage cars may see a lot more starting and stopping. People who drive short distances are probably stopping a lot, then restarting. More cranks on the starter as opposed to someone who is driving longer distances. Short distance drivers are also probably using the brakes a lot more than say someone who hops on the highway and drives a longer distance.


Ive always been a believer of short distance driving (where the car doesnt get hot) is bad for the car. When i have to drive short distances I always let the car sit bit longer til its hot especially in winter.

Unless the car is already been driven and hot then its fine.

 

[CharBaby]

I think that I have told this story before!

There is a guy down the street from me that has sitting in an empty lot accross from his house, a '79 Trans Am. Although I haven't seen the car sitting there this year, I had asked him one time..."What are you going to do with this car"?

He said that he was "saving it for his grandson".

The T/A sat there for ~20 years. It looked good at one time but, year after year...You get the rest of the picture.

 

[SteveSRT8]

^^^Got one of my best cars this way-55 Desoto with the coil in backwards so it would not start. I asked, ended up taking it home for 50 bucks.

You have to ask!

 

[LeakySeals]

Only thing you could determine by looking is the paint was oxidized, and some rust. I've resurrected several like that. Change all the fluids, running withing hours.

 

[wtd]

My fiance's grandmother has a 97 chevy truck that used to be her husband's before he died that only has 21,000 miles on it. It sits most of the time and still runs fine. I was the last one to change the oil on it and that was about three years ago and less than 1,000 miles ago. It does stay in a garage though and is mainly used as a farm truck.

My fiance's 2007 Mustang GT that she bought back in March of 2010 with only 6,900 miles on it, currently only has about 12,000 miles on it. She only drives it in nice weather and not very often even then.

I've only put about 10,000 miles on my 98 chevy K3500 and I've had it almost five years. I own seven vehicles and most of them don't get driven much and they all run fine. Batteries are the only thing that have not held up from the sitting.

Wayne

 

[Norm Olt]

My personal experience (with quite a few vehicles) is that starting a vehicle once a month and getting it to a normal operating temp is sufficient (in our mild climate) to keep the vehicle in a ready-to-run condition.

Gas quality, tires and battery condition need to be addressed but that's really not an insurmountable problem.

Cheers!

 

[SteveSRT8]

Way back when I worked for a man with a HUGE collection. Some of these cars sat for ages.

One of the die hard rules was always DRIVE the car for at least 20-30 minutes. Otherwise it was better to let it sit.

 

[Volvohead]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Way back when I worked for a man with a HUGE collection. Some of these cars sat for ages.

One of the die hard rules was always DRIVE the car for at least 20-30 minutes. Otherwise it was better to let it sit.


That's about right.

As long as the fluids (including fuel) and other "perishables" (paper based filters, tires, etc.) are not allowed to go too long, and the car is kept UV and weather protected, one GOOD run a month is fine. Longer than that, and keep a trickle charger on it.

Modern synthetic seals don't dry out from non-use like they did years ago.

Keep the fuel topped off and stabilized and the tank will hold up better.

Don't leave spark plugs in too long regardless of mileage, or you might have a problem down the road getting them out. Still, the 12 year old original plugs on our 'new' SL came out without too much effort. Anti-seize is your friend on lightly used vehicles.

We've got two low mileage garage queens, and have the routine down pretty good. It's NOT bad. One still looks brand spanking showroom new, inside and out. Savor the new car feeling every time out.

 

[gfh77665]

Originally Posted By: Volvohead

We've got two low mileage garage queens, and have the routine down pretty good. It's NOT bad. One still looks brand spanking showroom new, inside and out. Savor the new car feeling every time out.


Agrred. I have stored low mileage vehicles for years, and its gone perfect for me. The vehicles hold up extremely well. In fact, I get random compliments at gas stations, etc. about my rides.

Incidentally, I came home yesterday to find a note on the window of my 97' Chevy pickup, asking if I "would consider selling it". As a courtesy, I called the number and explained to him it was my Dads, and I could never part with it. He said he understood, and also said it wanted it because its "the best he had ever seen", like new at 15 years old.