Car Maintenance Question...

[Anathema]

I am not a “car guy”. For me a motor vehicle is a means to get from place to place. It’s not a status symbol. It’s not a statement. It’s a purely functional machine.

I currently drive a 2017 Ford Escape. I looked at the odometer yesterday and did some basic math; at which point I realized the vehicle had only gone 2,700 miles between May 18, 2020 and yesterday (March 27, 2021). It now has 50,000 (rounded to nearest 100 miles) on it.

In a. Kemal year input 14-16K on a vehicle. Covid-19 has totally flipped that in its head. It appears that my employer is going to maintain my department in a near complete remote work system going forward. Travel to and from work was most of the mileage each year. I don’t expect a sub-3000 mile year in 2021-22, but I also do t see me putting more than 5-8K on the vehicle over the next year.

I’m hoping some of the “car guys” here at USMB can give me some advice on what I need to be doing to keep the vehicle as well-maintained as possible when it’s running so few miles.

The vehicle is driven probably 2/3 times a week. It sits in an open driveway the rest of the time, as we don’t have a garage.

I had all 4 tires and both front/rear brakes done on it last fall due to a failed safety inspection (failed for tires). I know it needs an oil change quite soon. What else should I be considering doing.

Let’s please be serious and skip the “Throw it away and buy a Chevy/Toyota/etc...” comments.

 

[Moonglow]

You could go out start it and have sex in the back seat that way the shocks are moving around and not getting rusty.

 

[lg325]

Depends on what weather conditions your car is exposed to. But in general, crank it up and let run or just go for a drive once in awhile. You should be okay.

 

[Mr Natural]

I wouldn't worry about, it should be fine.

 

[Anathema]

You could go out start it and have sex in the back seat that way the shocks are moving around and not getting rusty.

Considering the roads in this part of MA, the shocks get plenty of workouts on my trips into the city and back every week.

 

[Anathema]

Depends on what weather conditions your car is exposed to. But in general, crank it up and let run or just go for a drive once in awhile. You should be okay.

It goes out 2-3 times a week. Not long trips but at least it moves.

I’m in Central Massachusetts, when it comes to weather conditions.

 

[Billy_Kinetta]

Sitting still for long periods/short mileage will wear out the battery after awhile. Get a battery charger rather than idle the car.

Get the brakes and transmission checked one a year. Fluids break down when the car sits idle as well.

 

[Concerned American]

I am not a “car guy”. For me a motor vehicle is a means to get from place to place. It’s not a status symbol. It’s not a statement. It’s a purely functional machine.

I currently drive a 2017 Ford Escape. I looked at the odometer yesterday and did some basic math; at which point I realized the vehicle had only gone 2,700 miles between May 18, 2020 and yesterday (March 27, 2021). It now has 50,000 (rounded to nearest 100 miles) on it.

In a. Kemal year input 14-16K on a vehicle. Covid-19 has totally flipped that in its head. It appears that my employer is going to maintain my department in a near complete remote work system going forward. Travel to and from work was most of the mileage each year. I don’t expect a sub-3000 mile year in 2021-22, but I also do t see me putting more than 5-8K on the vehicle over the next year.

I’m hoping some of the “car guys” here at USMB can give me some advice on what I need to be doing to keep the vehicle as well-maintained as possible when it’s running so few miles.

The vehicle is driven probably 2/3 times a week. It sits in an open driveway the rest of the time, as we don’t have a garage.

I had all 4 tires and both front/rear brakes done on it last fall due to a failed safety inspection (failed for tires). I know it needs an oil change quite soon. What else should I be considering doing.

Let’s please be serious and skip the “Throw it away and buy a Chevy/Toyota/etc...” comments.

The best advice that I can offer and IMO all you need to do in your situation that you have not already done is change the oil and filter on the mfr. recommended time schedule. I have done this on my vehicles over the years and my last six vehicles have gone over 200K miles and lasted over 10 years each. Fords and Hondas. There is no reason you shouldn't get 200K out of your car under the scenario that you describe if you keep the oil changed.

 

[Natural Citizen]

It goes out 2-3 times a week. Not long trips but at least it moves.

I’m in Central Massachusetts, when it comes to weather conditions.

Short drives, aside from just starting it and letting it run for a few minutes, are the quickest way to ruin an engine and an exhaust. The latter practice being worse for the car than the former, but both are actually creating a problem. A big one, too. Short trips do a lot of harm if that's all you're doing.

What will happen is you'll buil up moisture and it'll just sit in the oil. That spells doom in the long run.

Best practice is to give it a really good drive if you're gonna start it. That'll evaporate the moisture/condensation once the engine gets up to temperature.

Taking it on short trips, the motor never really gets up to temperature. So you're just constantly creating more condensation. And it builds up each time you go on a short trip, never evaporating, because ithe engine never gets hot enough.

Especially in Massachusetts.

 

[Jim H - VA USA]

I have done all of my own maintenance and repairs for decades and we own five cars, including a Mustang I bought when I was 16.

Like Mr. Clean said, you should be fine. 2-3 times per week of driving is plenty. If you only drove it on short trips every week or less, I would have a slightly different answer related to saving your battery.

> It goes out 2-3 times a week. Not long trips but at least it moves.

It's important to heat it up to normal operating temperature about once per week or so if you are driving it at all. There are two historical reasons for this. The main products of combustion of hydrocarbon fuels are CO2 and water vapor. While you probably have a stainless steel exhaust from the converter back, you don't want that water in your exhaust.

Secondly, and very importantly, short trips might not heat up the oil enough to drive all of the water out of the crank case. Some vehicles experience something called "oil sludge" after nothing but short trips over an extended period of time. It is unlikely that your vehicle is affected by this, but I had a '99 Chevy that was driven only five miles to school by son, and it got oil sludge. I changed the oil and then made sure it heated up fully about every other week, and it never came back. I think this was also covered on the "Click and Clack" Car Talk show.

Basically, don't worry about a thing. Driving less has plenty of benefits and few problems. Check your oil. If it starts to look like this

http://3.imimg.com/data3/JL/VT/MY-3499754/oil-sludge-500x500.jpg

you are not running the engine long enough. Driving (as oppsed to idling) is the best way to heat it up quickly for sure.

> I don’t expect a sub-3000 mile year in 2021-22, but I also do t see me putting more than 5-8K on the vehicle over the next year.

You may be entitled to an insurance discount. State Farm gives me a significant one on every vehicle, as we put less than 7500 miles on each of them annually. I send them my mileage occasionally (just an email) to prove it.

Finally, although you could litigate it, engine warranties require proof of changing your oil every X,000 miles or X months, whichever comes first. So you might want to change it twice per year if your engine warranty is important to you.

Regards,
Jim

 

[HenryBHough]

My wife and I rarely drive our cars more than a few times a week. Hers, with only 30,000 miles on since 2008, does get one good run each week so the battery has been OK. The tires got replaced early - still plenty of tread but sidewalls were starting to crack. My Escape gets out twice a week and then for only a total of about 12 miles. It has new tires so the sidewalls are no concern. As to your tires, the issues would be the same as regards the sidewalls but also if you go a couple of weeks between trips the tires will sit on one position. Best to move it around, even a short drive, a couple of times a week to ensure the tires don't sit in the same position.

Battery - definitely an issue. I learned the hard way a couple of years ago when a 5-year battery lasted 18 months. Not just dead; ruined. These day I keep a "Battery Minder" mini-charger around and put it on for 24 hours once a week or so. I have several of those running on stationary generators elsewhere and the batteries on them last well beyond their projected lives and never fail to crank.

If you're using synthetic oil a change every couple of years is probably enough but caution because if you get the engine just a little warm and then let it cool down quickly you could build up some evaporate (water) in the oil and that'll raise hell! When you do run it take it far enough to get to full temperature.

Side note for cold weather: If you park outdoors and do only short runs you WILL build up condensate in the catalytic converter and the day will come when it's closed up tight. Again, needs to run enough now and then to get it heated up and dried up. In a place where I used to live it was necessary, though illegal, to remove the converter, cut the top open and gut it then braze it back up with the obvious seam on top so if it where roadside-inspected the change would not be noticed. If you're parking indoors not such an issue but when leaving in indoors have at least one window open fully if that won't give you a dust problem - or several open a crack otherwise. It'll prevent the car developing a nasaty stink!

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

I was shocked to get my title for my 2016 Tundra ,bought in late 17, yesterday.
We thought we still owed till july. On top of that we recieved a $390 payment for over paying on the note.
The Tundra only has 11,200 some odd miles on it so it's basically brand new.
So my advive? Get some back and hip surgery done when you buy a new vehicle and it'll last forever!!

 

[Sunni Man]

If you are annually driving very low miles, say 3,000 and under. You still need to get an oil change once per year because of the accumulation of condensation in your car's oil, which can lead to internal engine problems in the future.
If all your driving is just short trips close to your house. Then once per month take your car for a 70+ mph drive down the Interstate highway for about 30 minutes. This will heat up your engine to max operating temperature and blow out any carbon that has built up inside the engine and exhaust system.
I once knew an elderly woman who only drove her car to the corner grocery store and down the street to her church. Eventually, her car started running really rough. The mechanics spent a long time trying to figure out the problem. Finally, they pulled the heads off the engine and discovered all of the pistons had a layer of carbon build up on top of them. So they had to hand scrape the carbon off the piston tops and exhaust ports. The car ran perfect after that, but the repair wasn't cheap. ...

 

[toobfreak]

I’m hoping some of the “car guys” here at USMB can give me some advice on what I need to be doing to keep the vehicle as well-maintained as possible when it’s running so few miles.

The main thing is the battery. Its discharging slowly and not getting charged every day. Get a Battery Tender or my favorite, a Battery Minder (on sale!) and keep this on the battery when not being driven. It's a trickle charger but also sends through an electronic signal keeping the plates clean to keep the battery from aging and staying like new.

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200332201_200332201?cm_mmc=Bing-pla&utm_source=Bing_PLA&utm_medium=Automotive%20%3E%20Batteries%20%26%20Chargers%20%2B%20Jump%20Starters&utm_campaign=BatteryMINDer&utm_content=167981&cmpid=53403371&agid=3200075884&tgtid=pla-4577679226811958&prdid=167981&gclid=a75b4092c923196a0bac20f227fa638d&gclsrc=3p.ds&msclkid=a75b4092c923196a0bac20f227fa638d

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

If you are annually driving very low miles, say 3,000 and under. You still need to get an oil change once per year because of the accumulation of condensation in your car's oil, which can lead to internal engine problems in the future.
If all your driving is just short trips close to your house. Then once per month take your car for a 70+ mph drive down the Interstate highway for about 30 minutes. This will heat up your engine to max operating temperature and blow out any carbon that has built up inside the engine and exhaust system.
I once knew an elderly woman who only drove her car to the corner grocery store and down the street to her church. Eventually, her car started running really rough. The mechanics spent a long time trying to figure out the problem. Finally, they pulled the heads off the engine and discovered all of the pistons had a layer of carbon build up on top of them. So they had to hand scrape the carbon off the piston tops and exhaust ports. The car ran perfect after that, but the repair wasn't cheap. ...

Using synthetics greatly reduces that problem.
Heating the synthetic oil will burn off water.
I have 7.5k mile scheduled oil changes that are recomended by Toyota and I've had two oil changes in three years which in my case is overkill withe 11,200 miles on it.

 

[daveman]

This is advice for everybody, but especially those who don't put many miles on their vehicles.

If you have a phone charger, pull it out of the cigarette lighter outlet. They draw enough current even with nothing plugged into them to drain a battery.

 

[skews13]

I am not a “car guy”. For me a motor vehicle is a means to get from place to place. It’s not a status symbol. It’s not a statement. It’s a purely functional machine.

I currently drive a 2017 Ford Escape. I looked at the odometer yesterday and did some basic math; at which point I realized the vehicle had only gone 2,700 miles between May 18, 2020 and yesterday (March 27, 2021). It now has 50,000 (rounded to nearest 100 miles) on it.

In a. Kemal year input 14-16K on a vehicle. Covid-19 has totally flipped that in its head. It appears that my employer is going to maintain my department in a near complete remote work system going forward. Travel to and from work was most of the mileage each year. I don’t expect a sub-3000 mile year in 2021-22, but I also do t see me putting more than 5-8K on the vehicle over the next year.

I’m hoping some of the “car guys” here at USMB can give me some advice on what I need to be doing to keep the vehicle as well-maintained as possible when it’s running so few miles.

The vehicle is driven probably 2/3 times a week. It sits in an open driveway the rest of the time, as we don’t have a garage.

I had all 4 tires and both front/rear brakes done on it last fall due to a failed safety inspection (failed for tires). I know it needs an oil change quite soon. What else should I be considering doing.

Let’s please be serious and skip the “Throw it away and buy a Chevy/Toyota/etc...” comments.

Ford reccomendation for scheduled 60000 mile service 2017 Ford Escape FWD, normal driving conditions

• Replace engine air filter
• Replace cabin air filter, if equipped
• Rotate and inspect tires; check wheel end play and turning noise
• Change engine oil and replace oil filter when indicated on vehicle message center or every 12 months, whichever occurs first
• MEMO: Gas engine; Up to 6.0 quarts of oil (IOLM)
• Inspect cooling system and hoses
• Inspect complete exhaust system and heat shields
• Inspect automatic transmission fluid level (if equipped with underhood dipstick)
• Inspect brake pads/shoes/rotors/drums, brake lines and hoses, and parking brake system
• Inspect and lubricate all non-sealed steering linkage,ball joints,suspension joints,half and drive-shafts and u-joints
• Perform multi-point inspection

I would add change the coolant. You can google Fords scheduled maintenance for your vehicle here:

https://owner.ford.com/tools/account/maintenance/maintenance-schedule.html

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

This is advice for everybody, but especially those who don't put many miles on their vehicles.

If you have a phone charger, pull it out of the cigarette lighter outlet. They draw enough current even with nothing plugged into them to drain a battery.

While rcovering from surgery my truck was constantly dead.
It turned out to be Toyotas shitty batteries. The guy at the maintence desk blamed it on me not starting my truck enough.....The dude was no more then 25 years old.
I asked him if he thought I was stupid and told him I'd been driving longer than he'd been alive.
Assed up the money for an Interstate battery and havent had an issue since.

The problem with new vehicles is they constantaly draw power weather the truck is running or not.

 

[Sunni Man]

Toyota recommends changing coolant fluid every 7 years or 100,000 miles.
Many people aren't aware that cooling fluid should be changed because it's additives eventually degrade and it loses the ability to stop corrosion. Plus in that period of time/ miles the fluid will have accumulated a lot of contaminates that could damage parts like the water pump. ...

 

[Harry Dresden]

You could go out start it and have sex in the back seat that way the shocks are moving around and not getting rusty.

anathema doesnt have sex unless it is time to have a kid....