My daughter's leaving the country for six months, and will be laying up her five year old MX5, by leaving it outside on a hard standing. I've suggested a car cover and solar trickle charger (although they seem mutually incompatible) to no avail. I've convinced her to put the hard top on. I've read the FAQs, and done a forum search.
It'll be SORNed and have insurance cover.
I'll over inflate the tyres.
Leave the handbrake off, in gear with a brick under one wheel as the ground slopes.
Disconnect battery? I assume it'll go flat otherwise with residual current drawn for clock, immobiliser, alarm etc.
Spray around engine compartment with WD40 as a rodent deterrent.
Any advice, comments, additions or deletions to the above? I'll be having a battle to take the simplest precautions, as she's convinced 'oh, it'll be alright'.
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When one of our daughters did this a few years age we contacted the council and were able to rent a garage at not too high a price. We could then do all the good things you suggest but were able to bring the battery home to be looked after.
I really don't know if it is relevant in modern cars, but my 1970s Mini needed a squirt of oil in the cylinders after a long lay-up to get compression before it would start.
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Why not get it insured for you, tom, then you can blast it around occasionally, have fun and make sure it's kept fully charged and running with no chance of flat spots on tyres etc.
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Optimist
1. Space constraints.
2. She thinks I'll enter it in the first autotest/autosolo/trial that comes up after she's gone!
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BT
I assume the car will be standing during the winter.
Unless the car leaks, i wouldn't use a cover, my leather still has one or two very light marks where mould started to creep in, mainly in hidden areas in the rear.
Try and air the car periodically too.
As its standing at your place, presumably, could you not start and run the vehicle once a month for an hour or so, maybe move it forwards and backwards a few times to keep the discs clean and prevent the clutch from rusting stuck.
During that hours run every month, run the heater at full blast and have a wipe round of any signs of damp.
Do make sure the anti freeze is well up to strength, also that the washer bottle has a strong mix of anti freeze additive too.
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Using it is the only sure way to avoid any problems.
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Daughter needs to grow up and realise she is lucky to have a dad who is prepared to look after her car.
She should then insure the car for bathtub tom and give him £250 for petrol/incidentals.
Oh, and lastly she should say thank you.
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no real need to disconnect battery if you are going to use a solar trickle charger, that should cope with any current loss that the clock alarm system is using, plus it has the advantage that the anti-scrote devices are kept active.
If you can find any of those "Silica-gel" packets, a few of them scattered around in the interior and boot will help to combat any moisture caused mildew problems, failing that, a few seed-trays of kitty-litter is almost as good, hidden away beneath front seats.
Billy
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Do everything that you said but once you've laid it up, leave it standing still. Don't start nudging it back and forwards, it won't do anything to clean the brakes and you won't get flat spots in 6 months anyway.
I left my MG standing for about 5 months and didn't have any issues with it.
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> Using it is the only sure way to avoid any problems.
I think PU is right. Oil may become goopy and condensation may build in the fuel line. Keeping the tyres inflated and the battery charged are proper concerns, but damage to the motor is the most important thing.
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Daughter needs to grow up and... lastly she should say thank you.
Is the right answer!
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As above, the only ideal answer is to use the car occasionally.
Prior to fitting the hard top I would clean and preserve the soft top with a suitable product (whether PVC, Cloth etc) and ensure it is completely dry before stowing it.
Knowing MX5s, I expect the brake discs to get very rusty after 6 months outside with no use.
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I suggest you take a look at HJ's FAQ No.41: www.honestjohn.co.uk/faq/faq.htm?id=37
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New cars and used cars seem to hang around for 6+ months without any problems. I'd worry about the convertable top and brake discs, and the battery will need help. I can't see why anything should happen to the oil or engine. 6 months is not long really is it.
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007.
I suggest you read the original post. ;>)
>>I've read the FAQs, and done a forum search.
Edited by bathtub tom on 03/08/2008 at 23:53
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My main worry would be "damp" as it will be laid up over the winter. You will get condensation inside the car, and it will go musty/mouldy. Ideally, leave it in a garage with windows open half an inch.
Quite possibly worth changing the oil before you lay it up.
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Make sure the hard top is secured with one of the proprietary locking kits. They get stolen.
Cheers
DP
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I wouldn't use the hard top. The hood is best left up and stretched. I wouldn't use a cover either.
Is the "hard standing" near you? It would be worth leaving teh boot and door open for an hour or so once in a while to ventilate it.
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If damp is a concern, an old caravaners' trick is a seed tray full of salt.
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I know a couple of other old caravanners tricks.........
1/ Totally ignore the huge queue which has built up behind you and steadfastly refuse to pull in to any laybys to allow it to clear down.
2/ Time your journeys to coincide with either rush hour, or better still, the busiest parts of bank holidays. Having done so refer to trick "1".
;-)
I would take out a limited mileage insurance on the MX5 and use it as your Sunday car until daughter returns.
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I know a couple of other old caravanners tricks......... 1/ Totally ignore the huge queue... 2/ Time your journeys to coincide with either rush hour or better still the busiest parts of bank holidays....
Very witty, Humph.
I was referring to a 38ftX12ft static, actually - which hopefully you will have been stuck behind when it was on the back of a lorry being delivered to the site. :)
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Just to add to GBs post - make sure that you do give it a good run and make sure the engine gets fully up to temperature - the worst thing you could do is to run it for 5mins and then shut it off. The engine and exhaust would be full of trapped moisture.
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I have left cars standing for up to 4 months whilst abroad without any apparent consequences (apart from the ECU error memory getting full of low voltage errors on my BMW). My W124 Mercedes was apparently laid up for 2 years by its previous owner.
However, these cars were stored in well ventilated garages. I would not leave a car outside, undriven, for that length of time. It will get damp and mouldy and you will start to get that interesting green algae effect on the window rubbers which says to potential buyers "not cared for". It's summer now, a good time to sell convertibles. Your daughter can then buy another one when she comes back.
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I'd double wax it before laying up, and change the oil and filter.
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Be very careful if the cambelt is nearing its term of office.
A belt can develop a "set" where it sits around small radius wheels (usually idlers). This can cause failure soon after a re-start.
Either use the car from time to time or get the belt changed asap when it is brought back into regular use.
659.
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Be very careful if the cambelt is nearing its term of office.
Not too much of a worry for the OP's MX5 - merely an inconvenience rather than a disaster on them.
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