Why You Should Take Your Car for a Drive Once a Week

If you’re like a lot of other folks, you might not be driving as much as you used to. With no daily commute, and grocery delivery options, it’s easy to find yourself not regularly driving your vehicle. Even with some things starting to open, you might still be working from home, or have multiple vehicles to choose from for your commute. If you want to keep all your cars in good working order, you should take them out for at least a 30-minute drive once a week, even if you don’t have anywhere specific to go.

Drive Your Car Once A Week

There are lots of benefits to keeping your car in good working order, even if you have to simply cruise around for a bit each week to do it. Letting your car sit for weeks at a time unused can create issues that wouldn’t have otherwise been there. Here are a few benefits to driving your car once a week. 

Charges your battery
Your car battery will discharge over time, so giving it a good run once a week will help recharge it. Depending on the age of your battery, the weather and where your car is stored, your battery could last for varying lengths of time, but giving it a good drive once a week is a safe bet to keep it powered up. 

Avoid flat spots on tires
Tires that are unused can lose pressure. With the weight of the car pressing down on them, tires can develop flat spots. If that happens, you’ll need to replace the tires which can be costly, so taking your car for a drive is a good way to avoid getting those spots. Check your tire pressure regularly to keep an eye on the situation as well, because a simple air refill may be all you need if you start to notice the pressure dip. 

Keep it lubricated
Your vehicle has a lot of moving parts, and they all have fluids and seals to keep everything in good working order. If engine, transmission or other fluids are allowed to simply sit and aren’t worked through the system, you can end up with dried out parts, seals or even separation of the fluids. 

Avoid unwanted guests
A sitting car can become a refuge for rodents or insects looking for a new place to call home. Especially in extreme weather seasons like summer or winter, a sitting car provides cover from the elements. Once there, these pests can cause additional damage by chewing on wires. Moving your car once a week will let them know this isn’t a safe place to hide.    

Keep it Moving

By driving your car once a week, you can make sure that it stays in good working order and avoid costly issues that would not have otherwise occurred. Even if you don’t have a place to go, crank up some music or put on your favorite podcast and spend some time cruising on your day off. 

If you’ve missed some weeks
If you miss some weeks and do find yourself in a situation where you need assistance with a car that’s been sitting too long, you can contact the service department of any of our dealerships for help bringing your car back to life.