Can an infrequently driven car develop flat spots on the tires?
Yes. The key factors are the type of tire, the load on the tire, the inflation pressure, the ambient temperature and the temperature of the surface the tire is resting on.
Some tires have nylon in them and some of these can flat spot as quickly as overnight.
Needless to say, load and inflation pressure affect the size of the flat spot and therefore how bad the vibration is.
High temperatures and high surface temperatures also contribute.
If you are going to park a car for a long period of time, you should jack it off the ground.
- OR -
you can move it regularly. A couple of inches works.
Absolutely. How quickly they form and how long it takes to ‘drive them out’ is dependent on the brand and construction of the tire. I run Michelin tires that sometimes sit for a month or two, and the flat spots go away within a mile, but I have seen posts of people complaining of them being a real annoyance. You can buy plastic cradles to park in that should help. Also make sure to have the tires well inflated.