So my car is at home while I'm at college, and it's sitting in my driveway, on a hill with the e-brake engaged and a car cover over with the battery disconnected. How often must the car be started, and is it okay that the tires are not being rolled around and it's on a hill? The longest I've left it is about a month (since my parents don't drive it as it takes ~20 minutes to get in or out of the driveway)

Please advise

 

Well it's best to start it and move it about once a month. If you are leavign the car sitting for more than about 5-6 months I would put some Seafoam in the gas to stabilize the fuel from turning into Kerosene.

The tires, if they are soft compound tires they can get flat spots rather quickly but a lot of the time will round back out once you start driving again....

For the most part, your car should be fine if it's moved around ever 3 months or so. Get Dad to drivie it down the road and back, heat up the tires and get the fluids moving around.

 

I bought a 78 Firebird with a 305 v8 back when i was a teenager for a $1 that was sitting 12 years. I trailored it home, disconnected the fuel line, squirted oil in the cylinders, poured gas into the Carburator and it started right up with a new battery. I put a fuel tank of premium in it and drove it for 3 years. It was by far the best running carburated car i ever had. In the dead of winter I could pump the gas 3 times and it would start right away. It had 79k miles on it when I bought it and had 130k on it when I sold it. Some cars take sitting better than others.

 

^ haha true.. I will be coming home once a month(avg.) to drive it around.. I should probably drive through the whole tank of gas next time so it gets new gas every 2-3 months?

 

Oh then no worries then

 

My car sort of sputtered when I turned it on after a month, but I think it's because it had less than 1/2 tank of gas and is parked on an incline, but idk?

 

Yes. Just keep the tank low and add some fresh gas every time you drive it.

 

^ I feel like it won't start well if the tank is low since it's on a pretty steep incline (maybe my logic is wrong but won't it be deprived of gas if there's a quarter tank and it's been on an incline for 30 days

 

Is there any way to park it the other way? Nose up, it will be hard to start, nose down it will start.

How much do you plan to drive it when you are out?

Are you going to have to keep it like this for years? If so, I would consider selling it and getting a new car when you are out of school.

 

if you will only be driving it 1/3 of the year then sell it. typically letting a car sit leads to a slow death. it's like a house - it needs to be used to stay in good repair. the exception would be if you "mothball" it for preservation. if you do this (wheels off, gas stabilizer, indoors under a cover, etc.) then do not start it periodically.

if you do keep it and feel inclined to drive it occasionally then make sure you get everything good and warm. don't start it and just let it idle for a few minutes.

 

i plan to drive it next year (end of this school year) i just couldnt get a garage spot at school this year

 

In that case, just try to drive it as much as possible when you are back at home. I would not bother selling it if you will be back in it in May.