Take Your Car For a Drive

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COVID-19, among other things, has changed how often we use our cars and lessened the traffic significantly on the roads. Even the busiest highways in the US have fewer delays and accidents. With remote or work from home options, most car owners leave their cars sitting for extended periods without continuous use. Cars meant to be driven, and sitting idle might have grater consequences, then most owners think.

Battery

Running your vehicle for at least 30 min will keep the battery charged. Having a fully charged battery would be the first line of defense with infrequent car use.

Lubrication

Moving your car will have the parts lubricated and running more smoothly, including engine, transmission, wheel, gear shift, and other most frequently used parts.

Tires

Using your car also helps with having correctly inflated tires. Tires slowly lose air. As they do, the weight of the vehicle keeps pressing down on the tires, which causes flat spots to develop on the areas sitting on the ground. Driving the car will usually make the tires round again. Allowing the vehicle to sit for extended periods on underinflated tires can cause flat spots that are easily noticeable while driving.

Rodents

Rodents can do some significant damage. They tend to hide in exhaust pipes. If you have a hungry rodent, you might expect some wiring to be chewed up. During colder months, they look for warmer spots such as an engine.

Moisture

Here in Florida, we have to be acutely aware of the moisture. It tends to accumulate around the gas tank and sometimes seep into the tank itself, causing corrosion. Replacing a gas tank can run up to $300.

Finally, if you are seldomly using your car nowadays and stuck at home, it might be a refreshing trip to take.