I have a 2006 Corolla that I really like. The problem is that I have a job where the company provides a car. I returned the plates of the Corolla and canceled my insurance. I drive it up and down the driveway for about 10 minutes every couple of weeks. My concern is that the gas may go bad. Can I usse a gas preservative? Should I just remove the gas and not use the car until I’m ready to put it back on the road in 2 or 3 years?
Sell it . . . you’ll eventually stop running it and it will turn into a headache. Rocketman
Sell it. You are loosing a lot in depreciation and the way you are treating it is very bad for the car. You should not start it unless you can get it completely warmed up.
I would also suggest selling it. It is loosing value while you are wasting time and space with it.
If you want to keep it, don’t do as you are doing. Add some fuel stabilizer, fill up the tank, get the oil changed and park it in a safe location. Remove the battery (it will be harder to steal) and leave it alone. Driving those small distances will do far more damage than letting it sit. Make sure you have comprehensive insurance as someone could still steal it.
I agree with all the others. Sell it while it still has value. You turned in the plates, and cancelled the insurance. You cannot even drive it on weekends, now. 10 minutes of driving in the driveway is doing more damage than help for this engine. In 10 minutes of idleing, it is not warming up enough to burn off the moisutre build-up in the crankcase. Also, it is possibly still running rich when you shut it off, since it is not fully warmed up. This excess gasoline is contaminating the oil, and forcing it further out of spec.
The best way to keep this car like you like it is to get a new plate and insurance, and drive it around once every couple of weekends, at least 20 miles, preferably with highway miles mixed in. And, change the oil to synthetic, and change it once a year. And, use a gas stablizer, like ‘Sta-Bil’.
The other alternative is to change the oil to sythetic, add ‘Sta-Bil’ to the fuel, run the engine to get the stabilized fuel through the entire fuel system, then drain the gas from the gas tank. Park the car in a garge, jack it up on jack stands to get the tires off the ground, remove the battery, and leave it like that until your ready to try and get it back on the road.
driving it in the driveway is worse than not driving it. If you really want to give the car some excersise, take it for a 20-minute run down the interstate.
Don’t forget that your homeowners insurance does NOT cover your unregistered car. There is some liability by keeping an unregistered car on your (or any other) property. I’ve had a situation where an unregistered car cost me about $2000 and the homeowners insurance wouldn’t even talk to me.
Your best bet overall is to sell it.
Make sure you have comprehensive insurance at least. If it is stolen or in a fire you are out a considerable amount of money.
Sell it.
You’re doing more damage to the car than you would if you just left it sit. Gas preservative won’t last 2-3 years. It’s only meant for about a year.
The car will continue to depreciate even if you don’t drive it. I suggest selling the car and putting the money in a short term CD. Then when you need another car take the money and buy one.
Agree with the sound advice of the others; sell it because it is depreciating every day and what you are doing to it is causing excessive wear on the engine!!!
Some years back I had a nice car and also got a company vehicle. I sold mine to my mother-in-law for half the market price. She drove it happily for 5 more years, and I could drive it anytime I visited her.
Thanks to all who replied. I guess I’ll put it up for sale. Anyone want to buy it? Asking $15,000 in northern NJ.