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**rusty bumper** · Jul 4, 2005, 08:40 AM

Re: Question...

Originally posted by TDV
I've got a really quick question...

I love my car to death, and I detail it quite frequently. However, I don't DRIVE it very frequently. Is it bad for my car if I don't drive it? Is there a minimum number of times I should be driving my car each week? I'm just concerned with it laying idle for too long. Right now, I'm at about 2 weeks of not having driven it (but detailed it twice). It sits in my garage most of the time.

Thanks in advance!

There's an old saying around here that say's, "It's better to wear out than to rust out"

I don't believe your car is rusting out, but I think it's a good idea to get the motor, tranmission, & all fluids up to the proper operating temperature once or twice a week.

I remember seeing someone's brake calipers that had to be rebuilt one time because the person (A little old lady) didn't drive the car enough (or hard enough) to keep things working properly.

I always cringe at someone who lets their auto sit all the time myself......I just don't believe it's good for it.

Edit: A Toyota mechanic told me one time that their cars have high compression engines, and he said that they need to be driven hard at times to keep them working properly.......In other words, kick it into passing gear occasionally. I think this would apply for a V-8 as well too.

**TDV** · Jul 4, 2005, 09:42 AM

Awwww man. That means I have to expose it to the nasty Gulf Coast air (not to mention all the chemical plants that are around here too).

Well, once a week at least.

I'll drive it a couple times around the block on a weekly basis. Funny, I didn't mention I drive a Toyota, but you put a comment pertaining to Toyotas...Haha. Two for one advice is always a good thing.

Thanks for the post.

**gb387** · Jul 4, 2005, 11:33 AM

Re: Re: Question...

Originally posted by Rusty Bumper

Edit: A Toyota mechanic told me one time that their cars have high compression engines, and he said that they need to be driven hard at times to keep them working properly.......In other words, kick it into passing gear when occasionally. I think this would apply for a V-8 as well too.

Have heard the samething and that is what I do!

**rusty bumper** · Jul 4, 2005, 11:01 PM

Re: Re: Re: Question...

Originally posted by TDV
Thanks for the post.

You're welcome TVD........Sorry about the chemical plants.

Originally posted by gb387

Have heard the samething and that is what I do!

If it has a motor & wheels, then I kick it in.

.......Provided the law's not around.

**Don** · Jul 5, 2005, 01:04 AM

If you want a really controvercial idea on engine break in etc, read This Article

**TDV** · Jul 5, 2005, 05:58 AM

Oh man...I've got 1400 miles on my car right now. According to THAT article, I should've changed the oil already. Interesting. I do my own work on my car, and I was going to change the oil every 1500 miles and switch over to synthetic at 6000 miles. I don't change oil at 3 months or 5000 miles because I think that the dealerships use that 3 month rule to acquire more business from their customers. It's the mileage on the engine that matters most (in my experience). I will change the oil if the car has been idle for quite a while (like 3 months).

Has anybody else, besides rusty and me, read the linked article that he posted? If so, what is your take on it?
I have definitely been driving my car gently since purchase.

I haven't thought about taking a look at the rings in my Solara yet. I will definitely change the header in the exhaust system because it's a very constricted OEM part and design.

**TDV** · Jul 5, 2005, 06:18 AM

Ah...he wrote the mileage numbers and details in that article for motorcycles. Okay, I feel a little better now. But not completely.

**2000** · Jul 5, 2005, 08:28 AM

well I didn't have a 1000 miles on my truck and I started pulling my camper around (8000 pounds) besides I don't think hes to far of coarse. nascar and ihra tear down and rebuilt and than go hard with no break in (grant it they don't try to get 100,000 miles from the motor either) I know guys that have lost a motor even with changing the oil every 3000 miles and than I know a guy that has over 200,000 miles on his chevy truck and doesn't change the oil, he just adds a qourt every now and than (and no it really doesn't run that bad, he even pulls a boat and trailer often with it) In my uneducated mind metal adjust metal with only a microscoping layer of oil as protect is going to collectively have damage over time no matter how hard or soft you drive it, and there are so many factor that come into play on why a motor last or blows up that its hard if not impossible to say what exactly makes them last. all that said, if it makes you feel better mine truck may sit for three weeks untoched and than get hook to the camper and go on a 1000 mile trip hard, but thats what I bought it for.

**Don** · Jul 6, 2005, 12:52 AM

I've read all 24 articles, many more than once. He keeps stressing "Outside the Box" thinking, being open minded etc, and his theories DO make a lot of sense. I really wish I had the money to have my head ported his way.

I DO KNOW his opinion of smooth ported walls being flow restrictive is valid. Look at any aerodynamic diagram of a car's surface and it will show an area of decreased flow 1/2" to 1" above the smooth surface of the car which is caused by drag. An uneven surface is actually slipperier than a smooth one. Golf balls are a perfect example, the dimples make them more aerodynamic. If anyone else remembers this: Back inthe 70's Richard Petty used to have a vinyl top on his NASCAR racers because it made the car faster.

**rusty bumper** · Jul 6, 2005, 06:57 AM

There are also non metalic parts that benefit when a car is driven regularly, such as gaskets, seals, transmission parts (Brake parts as mentioned above), etc.

If I owned a special vehicle of any kind, then I would try to drive it at least once a week or so......The longer the trip, the better.

**Don** · Jul 7, 2005, 12:41 AM

Originally posted by Rusty Bumper
There are also non metalic parts that benefit when a car is driven regularly, such as gaskets, seals, transmission parts (Brake parts as mentioned above), etc.

If I owned a special vehicle of any kind, then I would try to drive it at least once a week or so......The longer the trip, the better.

It's called dry rot, surface rust and condensation. Like the gaskets he mentioned, the internal ones are actually protected from dryrotting from the inside by the fluids that are circulated during operation. The compounds they put in tires to protect from UV etc benefit from the motion & heating of the rubber during use. Internal engine parts are able to maintain an oil film preventing surface rust from starting & seizing parts together (brakes included except the oil film part

) Plus the heat of operation evaporates any condensation that collects preventing contamination of the gas, oil & other fluids as well as preventing rust/corrosion in affected areas.

As to his 2nd point...Isn't that the point of having a special car...to enjoy driving it??? If I wanted something pretty that just sat there for me to look at, I'd buy a model...(CAR you deviats

)

**Aurora40** · Jul 7, 2005, 08:53 AM

As a related aside, if you detail the car a lot, especially if you wash it a lot, and don't drive it, water will sit in the body more.

I don't hose-wash the Corvette at all, and try to drive the Aurora after a wash. I have noticed the brake rotors rust a lot after a wash otherwise, and today I rotated the tires after washing the Aurora last night. As I jacked up one side, water poured out of the body onto the floor!

You don't want that sitting in a car from frequent washings but infrequent driving.

**TDV** · Jul 7, 2005, 09:18 AM

Oh...I'm glad you wrote that. I'm sure there's water sitting in my car right now. I didn't even think about that.

Yes, I earned a chemistry degree...

*smacks self upside the head*

**2000** · Jul 7, 2005, 09:36 AM

you guys are bring me down

drive and get it dirty or let istay clean and rot. how do you win this?

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