Low mileage cars that sit - why is it bad?

[Carnoobie]

I was told a car that sits most of the time and not driven much and only short distances is actually rougher on the car than a car thats driven daily. Is that true?

Build up in your exchaust, rubber bushings, seals and gaskets can dry out, brakes can rust? What else?

For instance my bro in law has a 08 H2 Hummer that bought brand new for over 50k. Hes had it for 4 years now and it has just over 4000KM. Its only driven in the summer and since he does not even work in the city and only is at home for a couple days every month, it pretty much sits in the garage 350-355 days out of the year. He said he drives it maybe 1000KM a year. Hes still on the original fluids and oil, hasnt had an oil change yet.

 

[AVB]

My only concern in that case would be stale fuel.

 

[LargeCarManX2]

Moisture would be the bandit that kills surfaces that oil sluffs off of. Motorcycles have the same issues of not being used several months of the year.....so some motorcycle oils now have an additive that vaporizes the componets and keeps rust from growing.

Of course you could drive your Bro in Laws Hummer for a few weeks a month to help him out?

 

[Carnoobie]

Originally Posted By: LargeCarManX2
Moisture would be the bandit that kills surfaces that oil sluffs off of. Motorcycles have the same issues of not being used several months of the year.....so some motorcycle oils now have an additive that vaporizes the componets and keeps rust from growing.

Of course you could drive your Bro in Laws Hummer for a few weeks a month to help him out?

The bandit?

Well my BIL wouldnt let me drive his hummer, ya right haha. Even though, if you ask me, I would never spend 50k CASH on a car that I only drive maybe 10 times a year. Its just a massive waste of money to have something that expensive sit and collect dust.

He actually has 2 cars, his 2nd, an SUV, being a winter beater and that pretty much sits too. And then his wife has a Mercedez SUV daily driver.

 

[BrownBox88]

Maybe he is just materialistic...


Just saying


Really though, things will start to age with time and become brittle.

 

[LargeCarManX2]

Originally Posted By: Carnoobie
Originally Posted By: LargeCarManX2
Moisture would be the bandit that kills surfaces that oil sluffs off of. Motorcycles have the same issues of not being used several months of the year.....so some motorcycle oils now have an additive that vaporizes the componets and keeps rust from growing.


The bandit?


A bandit is a theif that seals something away. In this case (moisture) is stealing away metal. Thus the bandit theory!

 

[Carnoobie]

Originally Posted By: BrownBox88
Maybe he is just materialistic...


Just saying


Really though, things will start to age with time and become brittle.


I wouldnt say hes materialistic but he has money to burn.

Originally Posted By: LargeCarManX2
Originally Posted By: Carnoobie
Originally Posted By: LargeCarManX2
Moisture would be the bandit that kills surfaces that oil sluffs off of. Motorcycles have the same issues of not being used several months of the year.....so some motorcycle oils now have an additive that vaporizes the componets and keeps rust from growing.


The bandit?


A bandit is a theif that seals something away. In this case (moisture) is stealing away metal. Thus the bandit theory!


So the moisture can be bad for the paint?

 

[Chris142]

I'd say that after 4 years even with low milage the oil needs to be changed.

Plus when a car sits long periods it gets more start up wear than one thats started every day.

 

[Carnoobie]

Originally Posted By: Chris142


Plus when a car sits long periods it gets more start up wear than one thats started every day.


I wonder why that is.

Well a ton of older folks, like ones who maybe drive 100km a week and only use their car to drive down the street to get groceries. They think fluids only need to be changed in the milage interval, and if car is sitting it does not do anything to the fluids cause they all go by the dealer maintenance schedule.

So if theyre driving 300km a month, then theyre changing their oil every 2 years.

 

[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

 

[JHZR2]

Ive never heard from anyone that tears down engines that rust is any sort of a concern inside.

The biggest concerns I have are:

1) Stale fuel, which is easily remediated so long as you use the car once in a while.

2) Dead or degraded battery because sitting has a parasitic draw plus a self discharge that may not be fully replaced during use, but which can be remediated with a battery charger.

3) Moisture from rain and the elements which can pool in interior crevices and cause premature rust.

4) Tires that flatspot.

5) Small animals making certain underhood places their home, and potentially damaging wiring, etc.

 

[LeakySeals]

If low mileage cars that sit was bad, classic cars would be extinct and Jay Leno would have no garage.

 

[Bill in Utah]

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


I'd disagree. Once a vehicle has sit the amount of lubrication is less, the chance of rust is greater the longer anything sits (I've had this problem before in aircraft engines) and stale/older fluids do not work as well then when they were fresher.



Originally Posted By: LeakySeals
If low mileage cars that sit was bad, classic cars would be extinct and Jay Leno would have no garage.


Spend sometime reading about Jay Leno and notice that NONE of this vehicles are left as he bought them. Most get their engines rebuilt and most need it.

He has a full time staff just to keep them running.

 

[mechtech2]

Brakes are high on the list of things to go bad. Rotors can rust quickly , depending on where/how it is stored. This causes all sorts of problems, even though they may still work.
Fuel is huge consideration. Sta-Bil helps.
Tires still can [and do] flat spot. Sometimes driving fixes it.
Internal engine parts sitting in one position can react to the neighbor they are touching - corrosion, esp if any water is present. Rings/bores, cams/lifters, etc.. An engine is open through the breather, and the intake - An intake valve is always open.

 

[hattaresguy]

Biggest problem I see with cars that sit are the mice, they get inside and pee on everything and chew everything up.

 

[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...

 

[LeakySeals]

Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
Originally Posted By: LeakySeals
If low mileage cars that sit was bad, classic cars would be extinct and Jay Leno would have no garage.


Spend sometime reading about Jay Leno and notice that NONE of this vehicles are left as he bought them. Most get their engines rebuilt and most need it.

He has a full time staff just to keep them running.


Yeah. Jay's picky. He has the resources to tear his babies down constantly with his pit crew. What I meant was the classic cars he acquires (some over 50 years old) would be in the junk yard next to the daily drivers if sitting was bad.

 

[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!

 

[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?

 

[Carnoobie]

Even though the Hummer isnt my style, i would still kill to be able to drive that car for a couple weeks here and there. Actually put the thing to use! Id feel like a million bucks if i got to be seen driving it.

It must be so lonely sitting there all alone unused, never turned on, never waxed, never being sat in, seeing no sunlight, no love