Motoring Discussion > Car will not be used for 9 months - advice? Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Jacks Replies: 7
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New Thu 2 Sep 10 16:31 
 Car will not be used for 9 months - advice? - Jacks
My son's Astra Mk4 1.6 petrol will not be needed for the next 9 months.
We'd prefer to hold onto the car rather than sell and then have to find something else so what to do?
It's on the drive at the moment (tax until Dec & passed the MOT last week without any problems) ), it could if necessary go in the garage but this would mean leaving my wife's car outside through the winter - something she's not keen on but it could be negotiable!
If I start up the Astra - say once a week - and take it for a run to get it thoroughly warmed up will this be sufficient.
Any other advice?

Many thanks

Jacks
Last edited by: Jacks on Thu 2 Sep 10 at 16:32
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New Thu 2 Sep 10 17:12 
 Car will not be used for 9 months - advice? - Runfer D'Hills
I think I'd be inclined to find a reason to use it once a week rather than make it a chore. For example, could one of you decide to take it to work one day a week or maybe it could be used as transport for a regular event like a Granny visit or the weekly shopping run or something ? Rather than having to remember to use it, if it just became a routine thing that it had a normal task to fulfill on a particular day it wouldn't really be any trouble I'd guess. As long as the trip involved the engine getting properly warm I'd think it'll be fine.
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New Thu 2 Sep 10 17:55 
 Car will not be used for 9 months - advice? - idle_chatterer
If it's newish and depreciating I'd strongly consider selling it, otherwise find some way to use it once or twice a week such that it gets properly warmed up and charges the battery. Don't forget to wash / wax it too and watch out for bird poo.
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New Thu 2 Sep 10 18:00 
 Car will not be used for 9 months - advice? - henry k
I had a similar requirement with my daughters car.
She got it insured on a classic car type insurance with a max mileage of 2k and I used it regularly.
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New Thu 2 Sep 10 19:34 
 Car will not be used for 9 months - advice? - -
Agree with the others, use it if poss, cars do not fare well standing without preparation.

Most important make sure the anti freeze is up to a good 50% mix, it may well stand for a week or more in very sub zero temps.
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New Thu 2 Sep 10 20:06 
 Car will not be used for 9 months - advice? - Dave
I lay 2 of mine up for the winter. Last year it was for 5 months due to the long winter (due to global warming). They get a mini service with an oil change, tanks full of diesel, and I lift the wipers off the windscreen. I swap the trickle charger between them every few weeks, and apart from surface rust on the discs, I don't have any problems. They are in the barn though, but it was below zero constantly for over three of those months. I reckon it's better just to leave them be than mess about starting and running them, hoping to get them warm - probably does more harm than good.
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New Thu 2 Sep 10 22:24 
 Car will not be used for 9 months - advice? - Jacks
Thanks for the advice - I was going to change the oil & filter anyway but I'll check the coolant (It's the Vauxhall "Red" coolant which is supposed to be "lifetime" and doesn't - according to the handbook - require changing).
He's cancelled the insurance - so the DOV insurance on his Mum's policy doesn't apply now.
I don't have my own insurance (I've got a lease/company car) so I could probably insure the Astra in my name with full NCB quite cheaply on a TP only no frills no legal etc <1000 miles pa basis and - as suggested - use it a couple of times a week.

The issue with selling and buying something else is that whilst the car is sound mechanically (sailed through the last 2 MOT's) it does have a nasty scrape on the rear door and wing - bad enough to kill the sale value - it's a V reg- but from our POV not worth spending the £350 I was quoted to respray the 2 panels. the classic case of it's worth much more to us than it's resale value!

J
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New Thu 2 Sep 10 23:20 
 Car will not be used for 9 months - advice? - henry k
>>so I could probably insure the Astra in my name with full NCB quite cheaply on a TP only no frills no legal etc <1000 miles pa basis and - as suggested - use it a couple of times a week.
>>
IIRC you may have to own it to insure it unless things have changed.
I was offered the use of an old vehicle from my then boss as a stop gap prior to sourcing a replacement for a write off. It was transferred to my name. I sorted it out MoT etc and after I had finished with I transferred it back to him.

For the period of my daughters absense, She insured it with me as named driverwith www.footmanjames.co.uk/.
IIRC it worked out something like max 100 miles a week for me and the balance of approx 800 miles for her when she came back for a break /holiday

There were some restictions - maybe it was no protected NCB unless you have five years with no claims.
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