I rarely need to use my car (3.0 TDV6 RRS 2011MY) and I have only covered 1,000 miles in the last 7 months

To keep the old girl in reasonable condition, how often should I take her out? i.e. what considerations should I put around:

* Frequency
* Duration of drive
* Distance
* Speed
* Diesel type

Your thoughts and experiences would be welcome! L405 P400e Autobiography (MY2020)... Silicon Silver / Espresso
RRS TDV6 HSE Lux (MY2011)... Nara Bronze / Arabica - now gone!

I would say once a week, a 30 min drive to move all the oils, charge battery, prevent tyre deformation, prevent dampness etc. Do you leave your handbrake on or off when parked at home?

Like all mechanical objects, IMHO it would start to seize up if it is not used enough.

I rarely use mine but try once a week to give it a run out. 2006 RRS SC Bonatti Grey (the 55th car/van I have owned)
2005 GSX 1400 K5

^^ all sound advice.

To be honest, if that mileage is indicative of use for the foreseeable future, would you not be better off selling it, especially give the fixed costs of car tax, servicing and insurance ? FF 4.4 V8 Soooo looking forward to this bad boy
Ex 2006 RRS SC - garbage
Ex 2016 135i M Sport - dream car
Ex 2003 RS6 Avant - piece of cr*p
Ex 2014 320d X Drive, M Sport Touring - ok I guess
Ex 2007 RRS TDV8 - bloody loved it
EX 2007 FL2 XS - not so bad

I had an MGTF that only did 2000 miles a year and my Brother had a RRS that was not used very often - we both had problems due to low usage and in the end sold them  Wanted a Series 2 LR since childhood but previously owned MY16 Disco Sport HSE TD4 Auto, MY13 RR Sport Black Edition TDV6 Auto, MY10 RR Sport HSE TDV6 Auto, 2007 Freelander 1 Freestyle TD4 Soft Top, 2009 Freelander 2 GS TD4 Auto, 2007 Freelander 2 GS TD4, 2004 Disco 2 Metropolis Auto, 2002 Disco 2 GS, 2000 Freelander 1 SE TD4 SW

Still hoping for a S2 one day!

Definitely a situation of... "Use it or loose it" - mechanically it will suffer premature failure of seals, electronics etc.

If costs aren't of concern then wouldn't it be better to hire one when you needed it?

I don't know if this helps but my neighbours MY2007 TDV8 stood for just three weeks without being used and his turbo actuators stuck to the point where they could not be freed off, a very expensive body off repair followed. From reading on this forum that doesn't seem to have been an exception. Hence I don't let mine sit for more than about 10 days now without at least some use and I always feel better when it's had a motorway burn.

found this and worth a read

http://www.racq.com.au/motoring/cars/car_a...g_your_car

Quote:

Without doubt the best way to store a vehicle is to not store it at all, but have someone you trust drive it regularly. Preferably this should be weekly for about 30 minutes to allow everything to reach operating temperature and to circulate oils and fluids. This use, while infrequent, offers the best chance of ensuring that everything continues to operate properly. Inevitably, however, things will go wrong simply through normal wear and tear. Do not overlook the fact that regular servicing will be required, even when the vehicle doesn’t travel any significant distance. Servicing should be scheduled for every six months even if the vehicle hasn’t travelled the required distance.

At least once a week and for minimum of 30 mins so fully warmed, don't be tempted to start it and let it idle, as already covered, mine had done very few miles in its early life, and that's when majority of failures took place. 2x TDV6. SE and HSE. Both returned to sender with issues👀
TDV8 Sport HSE...... Gone. Loved it but it didn't love me!!
Now rolling in MY10 Fullfat TDV8 Vogue. Slammed it to go round corners🙈
Cruising daily #56 mph in a Volvo V8. 😱
Lots of other toys in the cupboard...😜

I feel a bit of fool for not figuring this out for myself. But once again, great advice from this forum's members, many thanks!  L405 P400e Autobiography (MY2020)... Silicon Silver / Espresso
RRS TDV6 HSE Lux (MY2011)... Nara Bronze / Arabica - now gone!

Don't forget to put it in low range occasionally too. Just drive it 50 yards in LR (and a bit of reverse too). Run the ride height through its full range too to keep the ride height sensors clean. 2012 SDV6 - it's missing a couple of cylinders
2008 TDV8 - it was a labour of love and is much missed

Never thought of that or done it

Guess what I'm doing today  Wanted a Series 2 LR since childhood but previously owned MY16 Disco Sport HSE TD4 Auto, MY13 RR Sport Black Edition TDV6 Auto, MY10 RR Sport HSE TDV6 Auto, 2007 Freelander 1 Freestyle TD4 Soft Top, 2009 Freelander 2 GS TD4 Auto, 2007 Freelander 2 GS TD4, 2004 Disco 2 Metropolis Auto, 2002 Disco 2 GS, 2000 Freelander 1 SE TD4 SW

Still hoping for a S2 one day!

Diesel engines like to be worked.

They have to be worked, that is what they were designed to do.

A good blow out once in a while will do the engine good. Current 2010 RRS TDV8
Gone 2009 D3 HSE TDV6
Gone 50th anniversary Defender
Gone 1992 Defender 200 TDI
Gone 1988 Defender TD
Gone 1979 Series 111 V6 Steve Parker conversion