How bad is it if you leave a car sitting

[5speedz34]

Well, since about mid-August my car has been sitting outside in my driveway. Pretty much, it's because of the tuning and other problems. I mean it hasn't rained more than probably dozen times since it's sat. I looked at the underbody and its still immaculate.

 

I guess my question is for any of the surface rust/paint did it do any damage since it sat? It hasn't been washed since I parked it.

 

I plan on in the next week or two, cleaning it and clay barring the whole thing and doing a 3 step was and detailing the whole fucker before I bring it up north for storage.

[3pt1lumina]

well if it only sat since August it's probably safe. Not too much can happen in that short amount of time. However, before you put it away make sure you at LEAST wash it.

 

My grandma's century sits in our driveway and barely gets moved. I don't wash it unless it gets driven in the rain and that is seldom to none.

 

Personally, I fully detail all my cars before I put them away. The dirt sitting on them all winter isn't good for them.

 

In response to your question though, you should be ok since it was only about 2 months.

[5speedz34]

well if it only sat since August it's probably safe. Not too much can happen in that short amount of time. However, before you put it away make sure you at LEAST wash it.

 

My grandma's century sits in our driveway and barely gets moved. I don't wash it unless it gets driven in the rain and that is seldom to none.

 

Personally, I fully detail all my cars before I put them away. The dirt sitting on them all winter isn't good for them.

 

In response to your question though, you should be ok since it was only about 2 months.

 

Yeah, thats the plan full detail. If I get it running this weekend (knocks on wood) then I plan on washing it, bringing it into the garage and doing a full detail on the fucker.

[jeremy]

You shouldn't have a problem, it has only been a couple of months....

[runt]

Yeah I can't imagine that youd' have a problem like that. Our '05 Envoy can sit like that at times and there has never been a problem with the exterior yet (then again, it's not over 10 years old...lol)

[Bake82]

Tony I don't see it being an issue. My car sat last winter and I didn't do much to it...gas stabalizer, but that's it...you should have no issue with getting it started. The only issue I had was the battery died and needed to get boosted to get started..

[DiscoStudd]

I barely moved my Regal from November to June, and during that time it sat outside, sometimes with a foot of snow on top of it. Aside from the already peeling paint, no rust developed, nor did the paint get scratched. By not having it out on the roads during "salt" season surely helped in keeping rust at bay.

[slick]

During the wintertime, my dad will pretty much park is '95 Impala. But... he will go outside and start it up, let it run for a good 15-20 minutes. This keeps the engine from completely drying out, long enough to charge up the battery some, and to get some of that fuel pumped out of the system.

 

He will do this about once a week, for a span of about 3-4 months. He's never had to boost a battery, and has never had any problems.

[SigEpCutlass]

During the wintertime, my dad will pretty much park is '95 Impala. But... he will go outside and start it up, let it run for a good 15-20 minutes. This keeps the engine from completely drying out, long enough to charge up the battery some, and to get some of that fuel pumped out of the system.

 

He will do this about once a week, for a span of about 3-4 months. He's never had to boost a battery, and has never had any problems.

 

That's pretty much what my dad does except its about once or twice a month. for his SHO. Unfortunately, he has had to replace dead batteries in the SHO before.

[3pt1lumina]

During the wintertime, my dad will pretty much park is '95 Impala. But... he will go outside and start it up, let it run for a good 15-20 minutes. This keeps the engine from completely drying out, long enough to charge up the battery some, and to get some of that fuel pumped out of the system.

 

He will do this about once a week, for a span of about 3-4 months. He's never had to boost a battery, and has never had any problems.

 

That's pretty much what my dad does except its about once or twice a month. for his SHO. Unfortunately, he has had to replace dead batteries in the SHO before.

 

I do that with all of our 6 we park for the winter. No problems with dead batteries except in the Lumina (figures right?)

[ToroToro]

Dont forget to put Stabil in the tank...keep the gas from going to shit. Trickle charger might not be a bad investment either.

[1990lumina]

When I park my RX-7...basically I dump a bottle of Sta-Bil in the tank, pull it into the shop at the farm and leave it for 7-8 months....in spring it always starts within 4 seconds of cranking...and yeah. It has been done like this ever since 1998 and no mechaincal problems as of yet....I dunno maybe I'm just lucky, or maybe people worry to much about leaving a vehicle sit??

[THe_DeTAiL3R]

Yeah it doesn't hurt to let it sit. Personally my rule is if you aren't gonna drive for a week then take out the battery. There isn't really much reason to "let it run 10-20min" for the engine. Hell, I had my old 88 GP parked for several months, fired it up right away with no problem! Just make sure that your fuel is STABILized.

[mfewtrail]

I would probably cover the hood vents up with some plastic, that way rain water doesn't get under the hood and sit on your engine/etc. and corrode things that are exposed.

[Prospeeder]

i would start it every week too, before i got my TGP it sat for over 2 years in a barn and is just fine

[5speedz34]

My original post was more about the time up until now that I was wondering about.

 

I disconnected the negative cable on my Optima shit I hope it starts.

[Guest Anonymous]

I wouldn't leave it sit too long. The fact that its on the driveway is a help. When I had my car parked over the fall and winter, all the old fluid lines rusted out. I looked underneath and its still all mostly blue under there, but when i went to do the engine replacement, it had started leaking bad and I ended up replacing alot of stuff becuase it had corroded.

[EurosportZ34]

you'll be fine Tony...any news thus far?