Johnhowell

All,

I am off to the Middle East for 4 months and am wondering what you lot would do with regards laying up the Subaru (00MY, standard). I am considering two options:

1. Leave standing, remove battery, parked in gear (so the handbrake does not bind on return)... anything else to do?

or

2. Allow my twin brother to drive it once a week or so to keep things going? A bit of history: the last time I worked abroad (10 years ago) he crashed my 309GTi - now he is married and father of two young boys; he use to own a Ford Turbo. Would you allow him to drive you pride and joy?

Any comments welcome.

John

pippyrips

find someone with a better track record to drive it round!

ShyTot

Buy a standard accumate battery conditioner from www.accumate.co.uk and leave it connected (battery in place on car), with alarm / tracker enabled. It will be fine

gutter-rat

I'm going to be in a simular situation.
What about the fact of seals etc drying out because parts won't get to move if it's left sitting still ??

Johnhowell

pippyrips: the only other alternatives are: my 81 years old father - NOOO!!! or my older brother who will not go to my fathers place where the car is to be stored - don't you just love families!

ShyTot: I have a trickle charger but the car will not be near a power supply.

gutter-rat: I think seals should be OK for this short time but that is why I am asking if someone should drive the car at least once a week?

Regards,

John

gutter-rat

What about if it was left for longer ?
Mine could be a up to a year !

Johnhowell

I am hoping that this job could lead onto the construction phase which should be 4 -5 years! My first stint abroad was 1 year and my 309GTi was OK but then my brother drove it (when I told him NOt to) and crashed it, and I had to pay the final amount (£400) to the garage to release it.

It was quite funny (not then, of course), when he picked me up from the airport his driving was nice and steady and I asked him why was this so, had he been in an accident or near miss? His reply was "Well, I was hoping to get your car back from the garage before you arrived"!!!!

John

OBH6UK

How about one of these connected directly to the battery via a fuse?

http://maplin.co.uk/products/module....317&Products=1

mightyyid

If no-one else is to drive it, jack up all four wheels off the ground to avoid flat spotting the tyres. Then you could still get someone to come and start it every now and then to get it lubricated etc. Tyres left on the ground perish easier on the bits that 'push' out with the weight of the car so this is always worthwhile. And as for the battery, if no-one is to start it for you, disconnect the battery. No need to leave it on...
Andy

Dazza01

Failing all the above comments,feel free to bring it round to my house and i will see it used daily, cleaned and looked after

While the wife runs around in mine i can use yours

sparkykev

Imagine how long some cars are left on garage forecourts and storage compounds, and even on delivery ships, i think you're worrying too much. Keeping the battery charged the the main worry, or maybe like you say just disconnect it.

Johnhowell

Many thanks for all the comments and suggestions.
I was not worrying too much just fishing for any technical reasons for/against leaving the car standing.

I have left the choice with my brother - if he pays the extra £111 in insurance he can drive it!

Thanks

John

harry_p1

Best way atleast the cars insured and in always running well, make sure theres a service coming up he can pay for that too ( he'll be putting the mileage on!!!!! )

Car kept running in, insured, SERVICED, what more??????