Main IndexAuto Repair Home Search Posts SEARCH
POSTS
Who's Online WHO'S
ONLINE
Log in LOG
IN









Search Auto Parts

How often should I drive my car to keep brakes, etc. working good?


  Email This Post



Christy77777
New User

May 4, 2012, 6:49 AM

Post #1 of 5 (5627 views)
How often should I drive my car to keep brakes, etc. working good? Sign In

I work from home so I don't put very many miles on my car, probably around 5,000 or less. My boyfriend tells me I should drive it every other day to keep the brakes from rusting. I think I could get away with every 3 days. How often should I drive my car?

He also thinks a mile is enough. I usually drive about 2 miles to the grocery store, park, get my groceries, then drive back. I know there's something about a minimum you should run your car for the engine. I'm not sure if that's a minimum number of miles or time so how far or how long should I drive my car?

Also how often should I change my oil? I think I saw someone on the forum say every 6 months if I don't have a warranty but I saw on another forum they said at least once a year. My car has an alarm that is suppose to sound when the oil needs changed but I'm not sure I can count on it. It's a 2005 Saturn Ion with 31,000 miles. I don't know why they put an alarm on my car if I can't trust it. I wasn't paying as close attention as I should have to the last time I changed the oil. It had been a year and the alarm never went off.

Thank you for your comments.


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

May 4, 2012, 7:28 AM

Post #2 of 5 (5596 views)
Re: How often should I drive my car to keep brakes, etc. working good? Sign In

Disagree. Retired now with two vehicles that between them don't get 8,000 miles total. One garaged is fine. Outdoor one brakes feel funky for one stop if not used for a while but not a problem short term with any use.

Do rotor especially rust - yes. Overnight on some you can see it thru wheels on some and isn't a problem that is just what I'll call "gun rust" and goes right away. Long term it will ruin brakes but not so quickly. Every couple weeks if outdoors and use them should do.

Oil change intervals: Rule of thumb is 3mo or 3,000 miles and if indoor stored with synthetic oil I go longer. Outdoor vehicle can get dew mixed in so it has to be changed to get that out no matter what oil you use. It's not just miles but contamination, especially lots of short trips.

Engine will benefit from being fully warmed up every few weeks at least. Keeps seals in order better and things lubed up inside. No need to go nuts, just fully warmed up now and then. Two months in humid conditions is pushing it on some but others do fine. Using it will keep battery charged up and more so there is a benefit. Cars age whether you use them or not.

Speak for myself as now a poke around driver I will purposely take one on a highway if way too long and give it a good run. It clearly helps. Gas is perishable also so consider a stabilizer if it's going to get old and eventually purposely use it up, pick some store you may frequent farther away if a chain store and get fresh fuel in it.

Just a few things off the top of my head for the moment,

T



Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

May 4, 2012, 7:43 AM

Post #3 of 5 (5583 views)
Re: How often should I drive my car to keep brakes, etc. working good? Sign In

DITTO



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



nickwarner
Veteran / Moderator
nickwarner profile image

May 4, 2012, 1:29 PM

Post #4 of 5 (5554 views)
Re: How often should I drive my car to keep brakes, etc. working good? Sign In

Make sure you put premium gas in it that has no ethanol as well. Stabilize it with the proper additive, but the ethanol will do expensive evils if left there for a while and not run out regularly. For as little as you drive its not much more money out of your pocket.


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

May 5, 2012, 6:28 AM

Post #5 of 5 (5529 views)
Re: How often should I drive my car to keep brakes, etc. working good? Sign In

Great post as usual Nick. I can't get non ethanol fuel anywhere near me. I think but not sure that the rule is that it is mandated unless you are 50 miles or more from a major area with some # for population.

Rare but I do notice an incredible increase in MPGs coming home from Jackson, NH where a family member lives for Summers - the place is no-where USA way up North in NH. I do track MPGs like a hawk if only to know. Yes, Jackson, NH is in the mountains so it seems like all downhill coming home but that's bull and gas station still says it "may" contain ethanol but I know it doesn't - at least most of the time.

Why oh why did anyone think that would benefit a majority of us I'll never know. It ruins things in older cars that would have been fine with real fuel not this junk they sell by mandate - not because they are cheating. Lost with this crap. Doesn't anyone in control of this care? A. NO!

T







  Email This Post
 
 


Feed Button




Search for (options) Privacy Sitemap