Advice - low mileage summer sunday car

C

chutley

Member
I am fortunate enough to have a "Sunday Car" (57 plate Z4 3.0Si), which I only use in the Summer. So unsurprisingly, it has just 12,000 miles on it.

I keep it on a battery charger, under a purpose made car cover throughout winter, tax it in March and enjoy it through to October. I change the oil annually, and brake fluid very 3 years. But other than that, have not had cause to have anything else done except the MOT.

Anything else I should be doing? Unless I win the lottery, I don't plan selling it - it's paid for, doesn't cost much to add to my other car insurance policy. So just looking for advice on how best to keep the problems away, given that it is irregularly used.

I drive a diesel Golf workhorse for the daily 100 mile return commute to work. 500 miles a week soon eats a car!
 
Brake fluid should be every two years, other than that do what your doing and do inspections on the mileage.
 
keeping tyre pressure up prevent flat spots. The classic cars usually have like circular ramps under their tyres to keep the shape of the tyre
 
I suggest treating all rubber seals, hoses etc with something like Gummi Pflege as time, not just mileage, take their toll on these.
 
Is it garaged? I garaged mine last winter purely to keep the frost off the seals etc

I started it up every 4 weeks and took it for a small drive. However, as yours is on a trickle charger, you're ok.

I wouldn't worry about low usage, but still, averaging 2,000 miles a year - get some more mileage in mate :thumbsup:
 
srhutch said:
Brake fluid should be every two years, other than that do what your doing and do inspections on the mileage.
Click to expand...

Based on it's very limited summer only use, an annual brake fluid humidity content check is more in order IMO. Anything under 2% and it's fine to keep the same fluid in there.
 
Thanks for the advice chaps.

Time is the issue... work long hours mon - fri, sat is for chores which really leaves Sunday.

I am also a bike nut, so it's always a battle as to which toy to play with when the weather's good! But intend doing a European tour in the Zed next year so that will add a couple of 1500 miles.
 
With those miles, I'm presuming the car is on it's original set of tyres. Rubber ages and cracks, they say car tyres lifespan is 6 years, so I'd check the condition of the tyres or replace them due to the age of your car.
Old tyres are one of the biggest causes of accidents on classic cars, people forget to check out of date tyres.
 
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