Do you need to "run the car"

[copernicium]

It's just occurred to me that I haven't driven my car since before the New Year. When I started driving, you'd always be told to give the engine a run every week or whatever...

Is this still a thing with new cars? Will it be dead if I don't take it out soon?

[GiantKitten]

@Clymene

Gosh mine doesn't *@GiantKitten*! My engine is very warm before my heater gets hot.

@Clymene
I took mine out for its fortnightly run today (poor neglected thing ) and was definitely getting warm air within a mile - long before the engine temp moved off the bottom of the gauge.

[cautiouscovidity]

Yes. I tried to take DCar out today for the first time in a week and the brakes were seized.
Will have to get it towed to the garage now.

[ErrolTheDragon]

@Wester

Drove my car today to take my cat to the vet, previous to then I drove it in March.

13 plate diesel.

"You must drive you car every week for x amount of time otherwise your battery might go flat" sounds like marketing spiel to get us to drive more, consume more fuel etc etc

Has the battery been replaced in that time?
We replaced the battery in my car last summer, it's holding charge reasonably well. DHs battery otoh is the original and isn't holding charge well, especially in the cold weather.

[FinallyFluid]

Having posted here on Wednesday, I went to use it on Friday.

Nada.

Took DH's car (another Honda) which I hate due to spilt rear windscreen, anyway I digress, dropped in to our mechanic and he told me that CRV's have a smart charge system (which according to him is not very smart at all) basically he recommended turning the headlights on as soon as you get into the car, therefore the battery then has to produce more power, and by default it is then charging the battery more.

Hope this helps someone.

[Clymene]

Gosh mine doesn't @GiantKitten! My engine is very warm before my heater gets hot.

[Lurkingforawhile]

@BobbinThreadbare123 thanks for info re petrol tank. I didn't know that and will fill up tomorrow!

[GiantKitten]

@Clymene

Just in terms of how long to run your car, my rule (only really relevant in winter but they tend to run a bit better in summer) is to keep going until he in car heater is blowing hot.

I think you’re better to run it at least until the temperature gauge has moved well off zero (heater will blow warm before that?)
The exhaust system gets condensation in it and if you don’t burn that off it’s likely to corrode much faster.
I think

[BobbinThreadbare123]

Keeping a full tank is a good idea because moisture gets in - it can't if the tank is full. The back box of unused cars can get damp over time too - DM had a car she barely used and the exhaust sounded terrible because moisture was building up. The battery is the same as any other rechargeable battery; the anode and cathode and electrolyte lose their efficacy over time so they have a shelf life.

[Clymene]

Just in terms of how long to run your car, my rule (only really relevant in winter but they tend to run a bit better in summer) is to keep going until he in car heater is blowing hot.

[copernicium]

@InsufferableLKIA it didn't occur to me until I started this thread, and I just got wondering if it was an "old wives tale".

Thanks for all the advice!

[Lurkingforawhile]

The issue about insurance not being valid is of course a myth.

During last lockdown my battery went flat but then it turned out it wouldn't hold any charge so it needed replacing anyway.

[Wester]

Drove my car today to take my cat to the vet, previous to then I drove it in March.

13 plate diesel.

"You must drive you car every week for x amount of time otherwise your battery might go flat" sounds like marketing spiel to get us to drive more, consume more fuel etc etc

[Murinae]

Daughter‘s car won’t start if she doesn’t drive it for a couple of weeks. Mine seems ok. We bought a battery charger for hers so we didn’t have to keep calling the garage out!

[EBearhug]

A friend said he had to call the RAC recently, and they said they're getting a lot of calls for flat batteries lately.

[InsufferableLKIA]

Thanks for this @copernicium, our car hasn’t been driven for weeks, completely hadn’t occurred to me!

[EBearhug]

Last Saturday, I drove to the big supermarket, having last used it Christmas eve, so about 3 weeks without driving. It was very sluggish to turnover, so I went the long way home. It did start better when I restarted after stalling when I was parking back at home.

So yes. Though my old car survived okay when parked st the airport for a fortnight.

[sallyisstarstruck]

My DH has been working from home since March so his car has been sitting idle except for a trip to the supermarket once a week. He hasn't had to put fuel in it since October. I've started taking it to work once every couple of weeks to give it a run of 20 miles each way to keep it ticking over as it was starting to get reluctant to start.

[ragged]

I'm planning to start regularly moving each of our cars once every 2 weeks. My dad is away from home for 2 months & has someone come start & run his cars once a week for 10 minutes each.

[EngTech]

I run mine at least once a week, as people have said regarding tyres, oil, battery etc

Shopping but go the long way round 👍

Also the exhaust catalyst to get any moisture out of the system

[Bloodybridget]

I don't understand the comment above about insurance possibly not covering a non-essential journey - why wouldn't it?

[MustardMitt]

Mine does - it a diesel, don’t know if that makes a difference, but the battery died at least once.

[Glittertwins]

We have an 19 plate BMW and that certainly needed a run out as the dashboard was throwing out all sort of messages. The newer one was okay though.

[LickEmbysmiling]

Good tips here thanks

[HerNameIsIncontinentiaButtocks]

Having said "run it every week" above, I've just taken mine out for its first drive since mid-december, and at least one of the brakes had bound to the disks... They pinged off fine but it's a reminder to do better!

[NotJust3SmallWords]

I had to have a new battery just after Christmas due to not driving much. The RAC guy who came out and installed it suggested I run the car a couple of times a week to stop it going flat again.