ATLANTA — ATLANTA – Driving less during the COVID-19 pandemic means saving money on gasoline, but if you’re not careful it could cost you in the long run.
Your vehicle is as eager to get back to the routine as you are. While you’re trying to avoid COVID-19, it sits alone in the garage week after week, leaving it vulnerable to a different set of issues.
Let’s explore why.
For the answer, we turn to Zak Simmons of Carvana, a man who knows what’s good and bad for your car.
“Moisture is enemy number one,” says Simmons.
The oil you use to lubricate your car’s engine needs to work to stay effective.
“Unfortunately, they do have a shelf life so they do start to break down and continue to break down,” says Simmons.
Any oil in your engine that is inactive can collect moisture and turn to sludge. That’s not good for your car.
Condensation can collect in the gas tank while it’s sitting for long periods of time. Simmons suggests keeping the tank full so there’s less room for moisture to collect.
Your car’s battery needs action or it can lose its charge.
And then there are the tires that grow wearing sitting in one spot.
“Your tires will become flat-spotted,” says Simmons “That rubber gets hard because everything is breaking down and if you’re not driving it you’ll have this incurable vibration.”
So, take your car for a spin of five miles or so at least once a week.
Keep up with regular maintenance. If the owner’s manual suggests an oil change every six months, do it even if your car hasn’t moved much.
Do all you can to avoid the coronavirus, but remember your lonely friend waiting for the return of normalcy out in the garage.