For motoring journalists, the proposition of owning a car can be tough as we are usually in a media fleet vehicle for the majority of the year.
Since the beginning of my career, I have always owned a vehicle, and currently have two, a track-focused Renault Megane and a Suzuki Jimny. The former requires more attention than mastering the violin whilst the latter runs like a Casio digital watch, only needing regular cleaning and a battery every five years.
My colleague Justin Jacobs owns a beautiful garage queen of a BMW e39 M5 and our web manager Ryno is the wise one of the trio, with a little Opel Corsa in his garage. This got me thinking, what can we do during lockdown to ensure that our vehicles, like us, emerge from the situation ready to take on what is sure to be a challenging remainder of the year? Remember, before taking any of these measures to ensure that you are taking all of the government-recommended precautions with regards to the prevention of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fill-up your tank– With the imminent fuel price drop; it would be a good idea to fill up your tank, not only from a financial perspective but because of condensation. You see, when you have a lower fuel level in the tank, this space is taken up by air, which over a longer period of time will cause condensation and fuel evaporation. This is not only bad for your fuel pump, but it can also be harmful to your fuel system and cause corrosion.
Ensure that your vehicle is covered– With a three-week lockdown in place, your vehicle is not likely to be used much, unless you’re a part of an essential service, therefore it should be under a carport, in a garage or covered as much as possible. Ensuring that your vehicle is sheltered will prevent unwanted damage from the sun and the elements in general. As it’s autumn, a properly covered car will also not collect leaves in every crevasse, which can be irksome to clean. The cover will also prevent bird droppings, which, if left uncleaned, could damage your paintwork.
Disconnect your battery or start the car regularly- If you have no intention of driving your vehicle during the lockdown then disconnecting your battery is a good idea to prevent it from draining unnecessarily. If you are using your vehicle once a week to get supplies then I still recommend starting it every three days in-between and allowing it to run for a couple of minutes to ensure that the battery remains in a good working condition. Disconnecting your battery and reconnecting it every few days when using the vehicle is not necessary as this resets many vehicle functions, leaving you with the task of resetting various functions. Those who have a battery trickle charger, which will keep the battery in tip-top shape regardless of how long this lockdown goes on for, should make use of this handy tool.
Clean the poor thing- If you find yourself with some extra time, which is highly likely given the current circumstances; why not thoroughly clean the interior of your car? A good vacuum, a few clean microfibre cloths, an old toothbrush and a bucket of warm, soapy water and your car will be better for it. There are many DIY videos on YouTube that will walk you through the process. For the process of cleaning the exterior of your vehicle, be sure to consult a professional car detailing page on a platform such a YouTube, as these resources will show you how to do it safely, without damaging your precious paintwork.
Try to not use the handbrake– Instead of using the handbrake, leave the car in ‘Park’ if it’s an automatic or in first gear if has a manual gearbox while making use of a set of wheel chocks, such as bricks or a solid piece of wood. The problem with leaving a handbrake engaged for an extended period is that the system makes use of the rear brakes, which can become jammed when left engaged for an extended period. Note that this is not always the case and that some vehicles have electronic parking brakes, which will engage automatically.
