How to maintain a car you rarely use: practical advice

After the pandemic, many people are working from home or commuting less, to solve paperwork, shopping and other activities online. Also because of costs or because there are two vehicles in the house, many homes have cars that spend a lot of time standing without someone turning them on. This, according to the mechanics, is not good for the engine and various systems. Here, how to maintain a car you rarely use.

It’s important to follow a few practical tips, as the money and time you save by owning the car at home can have a less bright side: leaving the car stationary for a long time can cause maintenance problems. Some are better known, like dead or dead batteries, but they’re not the only ones. You could have issues with rusty brake pads, dry and leaky seals, and even an infestation of insects or rodents.

Any of these problems can make your car less valuable and less safe to operate. Mechanics recommend driving the car every week or every ten days minimum. Otherwise, you should take some precautions.

How to maintain a car you rarely use

• Drive the car once a week for 15-20 minutes to warm it up. This will help keep the cooling, lubrication and fuel system parts in good condition. It will also charge the battery and prevent flat spots on the tyres. Use the brakes frequently to remove any rust that may be on the rotors.

• If you can’t or don’t want to crank it on the highway, run the car for about twenty minutes and rev every now and then to bring the engine, transmission, differential, tires and brakes up to operating temperature when driving. This will help prevent leaks and other problems.

• Check fluids regularly: Oil, coolant, and windshield washer fluid should be at recommended levels. Always check under the vehicle for leaks. Remember that you should change the oils and coolant periodically even if you use the car very little.

• Check tire pressure once a month and check engine belts and hoses. It is important to look under the hood and make sure there are no cracks in the main accessories and auto parts. Make it a chore. You can make a weekly and monthly checklist and review these things.

• To prevent the battery from running out, you can connect it to a battery charger, which is known as a trickle charger. Remember that car batteries are designed to stay “full” and letting the voltage drain out leads to faster wear.

• Make sure the battery charger you are using is a “smart” device, which automatically turns off when the battery is fully charged. Overcharging the battery may damage it or cause a fire.

• Protects the car from insects and rodents. There are products that prevent these problems from occurring, and they are more frequent than you might think.

Finally, it is important to keep the car clean, take care of the condition of the engine, bodywork, etc. You can see here how to wash a car at home.

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