Leave my car for 2 months

Forums › Transport (cars, bikes and boats) › Leave my car for 2 months

KillerHulk

348 posts

Ultimate Geek

#243006 23-Nov-2018 11:09

Hi All,

In about weeks time, i am on my annual Vacation for over 2 months.

My question is regarding the car storage, i have a single garage which will store one of my car and the other one will be parked outside the garage in my driveway.

1. disconnecting both wires of the battery will keep the battery in good state until i return

2. release the hand brake

is there anything else that i need to worry about car ?

i did google this, so just to confirm one more time i am asking here.

You can post stuff that i also need to worry about in general (as this is my first long trip)

I Eat Dumbbells for Breakfast

1 | 2 | 3

6614 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#2132540 23-Nov-2018 11:14

I wouldn't stress too much about the handbrake. Just don't leave it cranked right up..
If you wanted to you could leave the car connected to a battery conditioner.
Keep the car in the garage open so it doesn't get stale.
The car in the driveway set the heater system to closed circuit so less moisture creeps in.

Never really cared about this myself, just left the car on the side of the road for 3 weeks last year and didn't do a thing, jumped in and she fired straight up. But not everyone has such a fine piece of German engineering as I do..

Tradepub

Free professional, reference and technical white papers (affiliate link).

Aredwood

3885 posts

Uber Geek

#2132558 23-Nov-2018 11:19

Switch off the hot water cylinder. And turn off the water meter. So you can save some power while you are on holiday, and to limit the damage if a pipe bursts while you are away.

Don't leave the cars with full tanks of petrol, as it will start to go stale. When you get back, you can then fill them up to dilute the stale petrol. Make the final drive in the cars a good long drive, to get the engine including the oil nice and hot. Makes it less likely for condensation to form inside the engine while not being used. And means that the battery will be fully charged.

And definitely clean out the fridge.

muppet

2535 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#2132562 23-Nov-2018 11:23

Don't forgot to leave a radio on nearby so the car feels less lonely.

It can help provide stimulation so it won't get bored, helping to prevent him from honking excessively.

frankv

5678 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#2132563 23-Nov-2018 11:25

Personally, I wouldn't bother with disconnecting the battery, and would put the handbrake on. What's the purpose of leaving it off?

You only need to disconnect one wire from the battery... no circuit = no current. Disconnecting the battery will mean that you have to reset your clock, head unit, etc in the car when you return. I'm not sure about the effects on any remote or immobiliser... you'll probably need to do something with that too. Presumably you *can* lock/unlock the car with the battery disconnected?

Rikkitic

Awrrr
18536 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#2132568 23-Nov-2018 11:34

If you use a cover for the outdoor car, remove carefully when you return. Whitetails love it under there.

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

Aredwood

3885 posts

Uber Geek

#2132569 23-Nov-2018 11:36

More stuff. Tell your insurance company. As Insurance companies normally have clauses about leaving a house vacant.

Park the cars so you can easily jump start them if needed.

Coil

6614 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#2132570 23-Nov-2018 11:41

frankv:

Personally, I wouldn't bother with disconnecting the battery, and would put the handbrake on. What's the purpose of leaving it off?

You only need to disconnect one wire from the battery... no circuit = no current. Disconnecting the battery will mean that you have to reset your clock,

If you disconnect one wire mate you break the circuit and clocks and all need to be reset.....

KillerHulk

348 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2132578 23-Nov-2018 11:53

Coil:

I wouldn't stress too much about the handbrake. Just don't leave it cranked right up..
If you wanted to you could leave the car connected to a battery conditioner.
Keep the car in the garage open so it doesn't get stale.
The car in the driveway set the heater system to closed circuit so less moisture creeps in.

Never really cared about this myself, just left the car on the side of the road for 3 weeks last year and didn't do a thing, jumped in and she fired straight up. But not everyone has such a fine piece of German engineering as I do..

Handbrake - Read somewhere that brake pads may get stuck to the disc & get damaged.

What do you mean by "set the heater system to closed circuit" ?

I Eat Dumbbells for Breakfast

MikeAqua

7767 posts

Uber Geek

#2132579 23-Nov-2018 11:55

The three things I consider most treacherous in the house are thieves, water and electricity (that order).

Security systems, vigilant neighbours and insurance manage thieves as well as possible.

I ...

Turn off taps connected to appliances - water filter, fridge, washing machine, dishwasher etc.

Replace battery in irrigation timer.

Turn off individual breakers at the main board - not those that supply security systems or freezer

Appliance except for freezer turned off at the wall.

Fridges wedged open.

Valves closed on any gas bottles.

Garden shed padlocked.

If I had pot plants I would send them off for plant sitting somewhere.

Mike

KillerHulk

348 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2132580 23-Nov-2018 11:55

Aredwood: Switch off the hot water cylinder. And turn off the water meter. So you can save some power while you are on holiday, and to limit the damage if a pipe bursts while you are away.

Don't leave the cars with full tanks of petrol, as it will start to go stale. When you get back, you can then fill them up to dilute the stale petrol. Make the final drive in the cars a good long drive, to get the engine including the oil nice and hot. Makes it less likely for condensation to form inside the engine while not being used. And means that the battery will be fully charged.

And definitely clean out the fridge.

Hot water cylinder was on my list but now added the Water meter too. Thanks

Other things - Got it..

I Eat Dumbbells for Breakfast

MikeB4

18435 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

#2132583 23-Nov-2018 11:58

I would cover the car with a breatheable cover. Bird droppings, pollen and dust in general is bad for paint if left on and over summer it can bake on. When you get back start your car carefully do not rev the engine as the upper parts of the engine will be dry. Run the airconditioning to lubricate and get stale odours out of the system.

Bung

6325 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#2132585 23-Nov-2018 12:00

frankv:
Personally, I wouldn't bother with disconnecting the battery, and would put the handbrake on. What's the purpose of leaving it off?

Handbrakes and clutches can seize stuck.

Some radio headunits are security coded. If you disconnect the power you need the code to get them going again.

KillerHulk

348 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2132586 23-Nov-2018 12:00

muppet:

Don't forgot to leave a radio on nearby so the car feels less lonely.

It can help provide stimulation so it won't get bored, helping to prevent him from honking excessively.

How about a phone?

i can call every other day - just in case i'm missing him.

I Eat Dumbbells for Breakfast

tripper1000

1600 posts

Uber Geek

#2132587 23-Nov-2018 12:00

IMO disconnecting the battery is a good idea. Modern cars are hard on batteries when unused.

As others have said, you only need to disconnect one of the battery leads.

The safest of the 2 leads to disconnect is the earth (neg, -) lead because if your spanner touches the body of the car or engine whilst you a loosening the terminal, nothing happens, unlike if you short the positive lead which will cause a massive spark and potentially necessitate an underwear change.

KillerHulk

348 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2132589 23-Nov-2018 12:02

frankv:

Personally, I wouldn't bother with disconnecting the battery, and would put the handbrake on. What's the purpose of leaving it off?

You only need to disconnect one wire from the battery... no circuit = no current. Disconnecting the battery will mean that you have to reset your clock, head unit, etc in the car when you return. I'm not sure about the effects on any remote or immobiliser... you'll probably need to do something with that too. Presumably you *can* lock/unlock the car with the battery disconnected?

I do have the immobiliser Will give call to the guy who installed it.

I Eat Dumbbells for Breakfast

1 | 2 | 3