If you don’t need to use your car....

[PuzzledObserver]

I would normally drive most days of the week. Although I routinely wfh (it is my base), I also normally go out for meetings and events, as well as shopping and leisure.

My work locked down the week before the national lockdown and since then I have driven precisely twice, both times to the big supermarket.

Although I can’t get a supermarket delivery slot for love nor money, I have found a couple of local businesses which deliver, so can now get a lot of basics without going to the big supermarket. I probably only need to go once a fortnight, and it’s a 2.5 mile drive each way.

Is my car going to be OK being used that little?

I could avoid driving altogether by using the small local shops and going on foot, but that would mean going in a shop more often, so probably better to continue with the one big shop once a fortnight, and use deliveries to top up in between.

I think I should drive DH’s car occasionally, it’s not good for the battery for it to lie idle forever is it?

Depends on car and battery age. Personally I would try and drive it once every 3-4 weeks to a supermarket a decent supermarket.

Personally I have declared mine as off the road. This isn't going away in a hurry and a local company is supplying us.

DH is shielding for 12 weeks, I’ll try and remember to take it for a decent drive every few weeks.

His car’s shit though so I’ll have to force myself

Are there any key workers using public transport that you know well and trust enough to allow them to borrow your car (if insurance etc is sorted, obviously!)? Two of our staff live on the same street and were having to get a busy bus together to work — I live 5 minutes walk away and have a little Co-op a few doors down, plus I live alone and don’t need to do a big food shop, so a month ago I gave them my car to use.

The insurance premium was negligible, I’ve got a few bottles of wine and a load of Creme Eggs out of it, they feel much safer and happier and my car’s not just sat there. Result all round

I've not used my car for three weeks tomorrow but DH took our other car out today (it had not been used for three weeks either). He drove it our local garage, got milk and bread, drove it round the block and came back.

I will do similar with mine in the next few days. I think leaving it for two weeks is absolutely fine, after all, people go on holiday for two weeks all the time. But I think you're asking for trouble after a few weeks. Which? suggested leaving the engine running on your driveway for 15 minutes, that seems a lot more antisocial both in terms of noise and air pollution than taking it for a 10 min spin around the block.

Where I live there is barely a car on the road. Makes me wonder if the country is missing a trick. Now could be the perfect time to sort out all the potholes, repaint all the yellow lines, fix the streetlights, align uneven kerbstones etc. and do all of those jobs that either never get done or are disruptive when done.
Abiding by all safe practice obviously.

DHs car battery was flat today, he hasn’t driven it properly for over a month, it’s been on charge all day but we probably won’t get a new battery for it until we can take the caravan out again.

Started mine up for the first time in two weeks as dp is in work still and using his daily it took a good four attempts to get it going.

I've decided I probably need to take mine out once a week to do the food shop just so it doesnt die.

You need to give it a bit of a run every 2-3 weeks otherwise the brakes and/or the wheel bearings might seize up. Plus it might not start if left too long.

I dropped some food off for an elderly parent yesterday and drove home the long way to give it a run. Ok not much longer (like 3 miles compared to 1 mile) but at least I got up to 40mph for a bit. I’m scared it’ll die and we won’t have it in case of emergency (eg elderly parent falls and no ambulance free). You can’t say that you’re “driving the car to charge the battery” on Mumsnet though, you get jumped all over as it’s “not essential”.

You need to drive it. To me it’s essential

Trying to drive mine once a week.

Is it petrol or diesel? And if diesel check if there are known issues with DPF, I know my little diesel needs a good run regularly to stop it clogging but haven't actually driven since lockdown... there's a good chance it's going to cost me a small fortune to fix when it's all over.

Also battery and brakes etc can all seize if left too long.

Oh God, I’m going to have to take DH’s out, is a 5 minute run ok or should I give it a half hour run?

I am worried about this as well, weirdly a few years ago I bought a solar powered panel that charges the battery. thank god I didn't listen to Marie Kondo and get rid of it I have attached it and I'm hoping it'll keep it topped up.

I will also take the car the longer way to the shops and hope that works.

Someone last week said that idling it and not actually moving is worse for it (further drains the battery apparently). Mine sat for 7 weeks when I was away last year and was fine, so I wouldn't have given it a thought, but as it is I am taking food to my 82 yo Aunt once a week so it's getting a very legitimate 20 minute drive each week.

Would we be likely to get a fine for driving the long way to keep the car ticking over? Thinking 5-6 miles. Even if we don’t go out the rest of the fortnight?

I actually thought of this a few days ago and took it for a run yesterday for half an hour. I'm going to do the same every ten days or so. It's very old so it might conk out otherwise. I have shops within walking distance but need the car for a big shop so that I can go every 2-3 weeks and not every week. Another thing to think and worry about, but minor in the scheme of things.

I did think if the police stopped me I'd just tell them the truth. We can't be the only people.

I’m thinking about this too. Haven’t needed to go to a shop, haven’t driven the car for 3 weeks. Thinking I need to take it out for a run. Worried about getting caught. Is it an essential journey.

DH hasn't used his car for a month, so I took it out for a run today (even tho i hate it!)

Mine is diesel, and if left idle for more than 2 weeks max it really starts to fail. It needs a good run out at high speeds then to clear it out.

I try and do this when I do my weekly shop, I try and go to a shop further away from me, not to far but far enough. I cant afford to fix my car at the moment so as someone else said, to me it is essential.

We have 2 cars and hadn't driven them for three weeks. I was ill for a week, which didn't help and in SI 2 weeks prior because of DC.

One car was fine, but the other was flat. We had to charge the battery.

Won't be making that schoolgirl error again.