Morris Minor Owners Club

Not a Morris Minor, a Renault Clio 07 reg, A good running car but i have to lay it up for 12 to 14 months, how is this best done, it has to be outside, Left out in the open or covered with plastic cover, wheels chocked up off the ground, Battery off, anything else to consider would welcome views.

An 07 Clio is only worth about £1500 as a Trade in - perhaps a bit more if sold privately. After a year of outdoors/non-use - it will be worth even less. Sell it now !

Discs will rust, cover front wheels or consider removing discs and storing indoors. Not the end of the world to buy new discs though, I suppose. Leave the handbrake off obviously. You could leave the battery on and get one of those little solar chargers.

Your probably best not to disconnect the battery as we have had several cars at work get flat batterys being layed for a couple of months and have lost the codeing to the key and they have to be recoded by main dealer or some auto electricians can do it. Your probaly best to start it now and again to keep it sweet as fuel pumps can stick if left for time. Your probably best to get a trickle or solar charger for the battery. Also try leaving the handbrake off the stop the rear shoes or pads sticking.

Also Roy how can you give a price of this car when you do not know the condition or mileage?

Because I have looked it up - for a car we recently owned - and the hard fact is - that's about the value these days. Don't believe 'we buy any car' !!!! Yes - discs will rust/calipers will seize/clutch may rust to the flywheel/exhaust will rot/rear brakes will seize (and yes - handbrake MUST be off) - tyres will crack on the sidewalls if left in the sun, and will flat spot if not jacked up. Battery and code problems as mentioned by others...... Interior will get damp and smelly unless well ventilated - without letting moisture in... The cover will blow off and/or chafe the bodywork - and of course small furries may take up residence - and chew the wiring... And it will depreciate another £500 over the year... it's just not worth the hassle.

Personally... I would make sure it had anti-freeze in it, park it in a corner which is relatively sheltered somewhere with a solar trickle charger. Don't park it on grass.

Modern cars are more robust at being left than older ones. I parked up a 1995 transit in the garden (on scalpings) with no storage precautions immediately after an MOT, then didn't touch it for just over a year. Booked it for another MOT, started it the day before (to make sure it would) emptied the rubbish in the back, took it for another MOT and it passed.

Left out in the open or covered with plastic cover,

NOT a good idea, moisture gets up under the cover and can't get out, so lots of rust and possibly mildew.
Better to be left uncovered, but if you insist on covering it, use a cover that can breathe.

And won't flap about chaffing the bodywork - or blow away in the middle of the night.......

Thanks for comments, I will leave uncovered, Wheels off the ground, h/brake off, I like the part about solar charger, the discs and pads were new last year, if i start engine every month, spin the wheels, use brake pedals and air it out now and again it should be ok. I can`t sell it as it will be used by my grandson on his 17th birthday.

Tell HIM to look after it then - for the next 12 months. A good waxing at the start will help - and re-do it every 4 months..... and keep checking it for leaks - don't let the carpets get wet! The wheels/tyres would be better stored indoors - the discs/hubs wrapped up in good thick black bags......

start engine every month

If you do that, I suggest that you run it for 15-20 minutes (or longer) each time, to ensure that it warms up properly, to dry out the cylinders and exhaust system.
A couple of minutes run and then shut off will do more harm than good.

Thankyou, i will sort all that out now.

or you could just leave it under a tree for 10 years like this French motor ![frame][/frame]

with a spare battery and new spark plugs (just the two....) it ran like a top ![frame][/frame]