Advice please forum peeps. I will have to leave my Z4 for 3.5 months without use and want it to be alive when I return. There is no electricity supply in the communal garage where the car will be kept so trickle chargers are out. Either I can lock it down and hope for the best or disconnect and remove the battery, shut the boot manually and leave it locked but not alive. On return I would charge the battery for a day, install it and then fire it up. Of course, i will need to open the door with the key and then use a power pack on the engine bay terminals to open the boot. i will probably also have to sort the clock and other manually adjustable things. Will this work? Any better ideas from any who might have had to suffer this? Thanks!
Leaving a car for a long time.....and what to do
- Thread starter BERNEV
- Start date
3.5 months does not qualify as a long time, I have left mine for over 8 months parked up and it was fine. You will have a little corrosion on the discs which will scrub off, also leave it in gear, handbrake off this way the rear pads will not rust to the disc.BERNEV said:
Don't worry about it, you do not have a problem at all.
How about a solar charger like the ones for caravans etc.?
3.5 months shouldn't be a problem for a battery in good condition, assuming there aren't any unnecessary drains on the battery.
a couple of years ago I stored an MX5 for abut 6 months over winter, on my return it fired up straight away, no problems.
a couple of years ago I stored an MX5 for abut 6 months over winter, on my return it fired up straight away, no problems.
Tricky one if a solar charger is not an option. As others have said, a battery in top condition might last 3.5 months anyway - depends if you have any extras draining it.
I think your only options are to disconnect the battery (but then you also lose alarm etc) or maybe add a second one in parallel with a set of short jump leads. This would give you double capacity and should easily see through 3.5 months. Just make sure both batteries are at a similar state of charge when you connect.
I think your only options are to disconnect the battery (but then you also lose alarm etc) or maybe add a second one in parallel with a set of short jump leads. This would give you double capacity and should easily see through 3.5 months. Just make sure both batteries are at a similar state of charge when you connect.
It might be alright just doing nothing, assuming the battery is in good condition.
After 3.5 months it might slightly struggle on first start due to low battery but charge up quick when you drive.
I would never disconnect the battery, you could end up with all kinds of problems later.
After 3.5 months it might slightly struggle on first start due to low battery but charge up quick when you drive.
I would never disconnect the battery, you could end up with all kinds of problems later.