How Much Driving Is 'Enough'

Hot as hell here in New Orleans, and the a/c on my 400A is out, so my car will get relatively little use until September. Question: how often should one drive the car to keep it in good shape? Once a week, once every two weeks? Highway driving is of course what's needed, but how long should one have it out on the Interstate?

 

I drive once a week or every other week around 30 miles. You need to get the engine and fluids warmed up and circulating. Hope you were not one of the ones who suffered from Katrina? I can only hope that the Feds get their act together before the next big hurricane hits!

Rob

 

There’s probably no absolute answer to this. Personally I feel comfortable with at least half an hour once a week, but I bet you could get by with half an hour every month or two if necessary. You’d be missing a lot of fun, though. Drive at night when it’s cooler!

 

In the Summer, I drive only in early morning and late evening when the Sun isn't a factor.
Weather permitting, I drive 1-2 times a month 15-20 miles during winter and about 4x that much in Summer.

 

I say at least once a week.

 

Just drive as often as you can , but at least once a week - I'm in the Northeast, and drive every opportunity I get during the winter, trying to minimize the time between drives. Sometimes that can be 6-8 weeks, just drive as often as you can so when you hit a stretch where you can't drive you'll be ok - has worked for me for 5 years now

 

Doesn't have to be "at least once a week"
Once a week is good enough

 

I try for once every 2 months at least, schedule allowing of course.

Just remember to keep the gas fresh as possible in there! If I have to go longer, I try to buy fill a 5 gallon portable tank with the best gas I can find, and use it to top off the gas in the tank before starting the car.

 

Carb cars hate old gas, so I'd go through a tank every 3 months maximum. Or don't fill it all the way up if need be. As long as you get everything hot and give it a good run, even once a month is okay. But how can anyone have a Ferrari and only drive once a month?? We've been 90's and sticky for a week in Chicago, and my Lotus has no AC; in fact it;s a greenhouse on wheels! I stll drive a few times a week. Life is short!

Ken

 

So do you cruse yours down Grangeville "once a week"?


HAHAHAA!

 

As a general rule, most high-end collectors of classic cars usually start and run their cars once per month to keep seals fresh. It is important to use Sta-bil to keep the fuel fresh. (The amount of time it takes for fuel to turn bad depends on the area -- some places use up to 15 percent ethanol (like Seattle in the winter) and this will make gas foul quicker.)

The amount of time/miles depends on the car and running conditions. Again, as a general rule, you're looking just to get the water, oil and transmission oil temp up to normal operating range.

If you can't do it every month, do the best you can. A car can go six months without use and still be fine. If you make a habit of this, expect seals and gaskets to start failing earlier than those that are running at once every month or two.

 

They need more than just starting...a car needs to be driven to get all the fluids warmed as well as to get the moving parts used...otherwise you will get things like frozen calipers and shocks as well as a lot of other problems...I always drive my Boxer enough to get the oil temp up and always turn everything on for a while...A/C, radio, heater, fans...everything...

 

Right...sorry -- by "run" I meant "driven." You have to drive the car, otherwise only the engine is getting up to temp, not the tranny, rear end etc...as well as the brakes and clutch (if hydraulic) are getting no love.

Depending on the car, the first things that can go are brakes and clutch. I had a TR7 that had the habit (as all 5-spd equipped TR7s did) of freezing the clutch after a month of no usage. I'd go out, press the clutch, start the car and the car would lurch forward. The cure was to start the car in gear, then romp on the accelerator until it all released with a bang.

 

I have a 2001 360 Modena F1 with over 27,000 miles on it.....Drive the baby!

 

Now that I am retired I drive it every day that it doesn't rain. at least for an hour or 50 miles. Enjoy the ride.

 

I've owned my 328 for 19 years. For the past 10 years it gets driven about once every10 days. I drive it for a minimum of 20 miles when I drive it. When it's really cold (like below freezing), I block off the oil cooler so that the oil can get to proper temperature. I also unplug the battery at its ground union to give the clock a rest. No problems with the car.

In the summer, the drive is early in the morning. Car is black and gets hot even with the AC running.

 

Can your car use additives?

When not driving a few of my cars for awhile, I add octane boost to help clear out the cob webs. Some cars can't take it though.

 

WOW Ernie, I was surprise how did you know about Grangeville?

 

I have a 2005 575F1 and a 1998 550 and I drive them every day, Post Office, Bank, every weekend a few hundred miles. It's great, why save it for some one else to drive. Lifes to short. And cars are made to be driven.

 

My 328 does not get driven much because I don't get a thrill out of driving it anymore. I keep it because I remain infatuated with its looks. My Porsche weighs 300 pounds less and has 120 more hp along with track suspension. My AMG Mercedes weighs the same as the 328 and has 90 more horses.

 

An octane booster might to the trick as well. I like adding a few (5 or so) fresh gallons of gas as it also mixes up the contents of the gas tank. The 10-15% Et0H stuff likes to settle into semi-distinct layers. The major down side of my method is that the actual octane of the gas in the tank then becomes an average of the new and whatever the old gas was/has become.

Just adding a smallish volume of boosting additive might not mix up the tank as well.

A combination of both probably would be ideal, as you would get an octane boost as well as a mixing effect.

 

Kudos to a Ferrari owner that actually DRIVES his/her cars. You are the one with "toxic" and "toxic I" "toxic II" etc, right? I swear whenever I visit the slot machines (you know where), I see one of your ferraris in the valet area . I know there are more owners, but the way owners keep them hidden, it seems like you are the only one in a 100 mile radius that has a ferrari, or any exotic for that matter.

 

I cant drive mine enough , I have an 89 328 and drive it about 2 to 3000 miles a year , I drove it all week end and only it let them sit and they start costing you besides that if I wanted a car to just look at it would be sitting on a shelf somewhere in the house , cars are for driving they like it !!!!

 

hey wrxrob what are you doing up there ? I have the blue 328 get ahold of us up there

 

Just trying to win enough money to buy another Ferrari. Then I can have one
for everyday of the week. And I won't have to drive the Z06 anymore. And then the Corvette will be the rain car.