grda

It is winter and with all the dang snow and ice lately, I am not driving my LS very much. I idle it for about 10 minutes and/or maybe go for a short 10 minute local trip once a week. Been doing it for about 2 months now. Is this enough to keep it good enough shape?

I drive alot for work and usually take my GX with me since I never know when I will be hit with with snow. I can always take it for a longer spin during the weekend but wanted to know what is the best way to keep the car shape when it isn't being used often enough. Thanks in advance!

40cpe

I think a ten minute trip is about the worst thing you can do. You would be better not to start it at all. It gets condensation liquified and doesn't get the engine hot to evaporate it. I have old cars that aren't driven much. I try to drive them about 30 minutes each two weeks. That warms the oil and charges the battery.

grda

Thanks. Went on a 40 minute drive today before the next snow storm tonight. Will try to do it at least every other week. Loved driving it compared to the SUV for a change.

Nospinzone

Yes, 40cpe is absolutely correct. If you are going to run the engine, make sure you run it at least a half hour if not more in real cold weather.

What is even better is to not start it at all. In a winter like we're having this year, I don't take my LS out. Rather than run it in the garage, I just use a battery tender to keep the battery charged.

grda

If I don't run it at all during the winter, besides the battery, wouldn't other parts dry out?

Nospinzone

No, there's nothing to "dry out". The only other thing you should do is add gas stabilizer to the tank if its going to be over 3 or 4 months. I don't add it to my car, but I do put it in my Harley tank. Also on the bike I remove the plugs and spray some WD40 in the cylinders.

MDEC

This is a recent interesting tid-bit;

The Chevy Volt could theoretically be driven so the engine is never started, so an algorithm in the control computer has it start and run for 10 minutes after 60 days of no-start.

http://gm-volt.com/2010/02/18/chevy-...o-matter-what/

This winter, I'm not driving my LS either. I try to drive it every week when the weather is clear (My goal is have it sit no more than 2 weeks at a stretch in the garage). To ensure a full warm-up, I drive 15 to 20 miles, with about 8 miles of the drive on the freeway at 70 mph.

I'm thinking this keeps the moisture out of the crankcase, charges the battery, works all the systems and seals, keeps the tires from flat spotting*, and eats up the gas before it gets stale. It also gives me 30 minutes alone to listen to the radio and enjoy the car!

*Here's what Tire Rack says about infrequent tire use:
"Don't store a vehicle with weight on its tires for extended periods of time. Long-term inactivity is more harmful to tires than weekly drives that flex the tires and help maintain oil dispersion within the rubber compounds"