Dumb question re hibernation

[poohbah]

Looking for opinions, nothing serious. Due to a footy injury I've just had surgery to reattach my bicep tendon and being in a sling cannot drive six weeks. I feel like that is just about the worst and most depressing punishment I could suffer for a relatively minor medical procedure.

So obviously my GTA will be sitting idle for that time. Obviously it is not good to just leave it, or battery may die (even though its only 3-4 months old) and tyres, brakes etc also don't like being sat still for too long.

I could just disconnect the battery, but would just starting her up and idling for a while every couple of days be enough to preserve battery without having to disconnect (and then have to reset data etc when i hook it back up)?

I'm thinking it would be actually good therapy for me to sit in it running (maybe even go for sneaky low speed tootle round the block every now and then to keep everything else loose...) plus I don't like to thumb my nose at the Electrical Gods by shunning them for so long.

My missus can't drive a manual and wouldn't want to drive it anyway, though I could probably ask my brother in law every now and then to take us for a spin (I think I have named him as nominated driver on my licence).

So what do you reckon?

[Craig_m67]

Six weeks?
It will be fine, as will the rest of the car, just leave it and get on with your recovery.


For reference.  When we imported (brought home) Sooty (156JTD) from the UK.  I drove it to the exporters on the way to Heathrow (we got a taxi and flew to Aust. via a few weeks in Thailand).  It was a good two - three months later that it arrived in Brisbane and was started and driven off the docks to the compliance fella and then rego.  No drama, still full of English/Scottish  mud (after being cleaned?!) and a 1/2 tank of Euro fuel.  We then (immediately) drove it to Hervey Bay and back to visit family .. and got its first (of many) speeding tickets

Your car will be fine.  Buy a trickle charger if you really need to do anything.  Don't annoy the wife.

[poohbah]

Cheers Craig. Don't think it will be possible not to annoy the missus. And already gone for a sneaky couple of slow parade laps round my neighbourhood. Will do that every few days to keep sane.

[MD]

Agree with Craig.
Only refinement I can suggest is for the use of a any battery charger when charging a battery still in the car.

Modern cars have a sheit load of electronics in them. Unfortunately battery chargers rarely produce a clean DC voltage often only doing a half wave rectification and letting the battery smooth out the power supply. If the battery is still fully connected to the vehicle loom, this may deliver voltage spikes into some sensitive parts of the loom never designed for it. You guess the rest.

The precaution is simple: disconnect at least one battery terminal from the loom.

In your case poohbah, a couple of overnight uses of the trickle charger would be more than plenty to top up you battery. As for the tyres, put the car on jack stands if you must. Major overkill for a street car.

[poohbah]

Thanks MD. Just gonna get in and start her up every few days, and move it up down driveway so it's not sitting on same spot on tyres. Weekends can take it for 5min slow lap of local block if I'm feeling stir crazy. Streets all real quiet round my place. Yeah I know it's just disconnect negative terminal, just a PITA to reset radio, clock, date, computer etc when reconnect.

[bazzbazz]

just a PITA to reset radio, clock, date, computer etc when reconnect.

Yeah, "First World" issues are so troubling . . . . 

[poohbah]

Best kind of problems to have Bazz.