Leaving car on a slope

mark_h · Post by **mark_h** » Wed Oct 26, 2011 10:50 pm

Looking for some advice please - will be leaving the exige on a sloped drive (nothing too steep but it ain't flat) for at least a month. Is there a preferred method of rendering said lotus immobile, be it in gear + handbrake, just gear, just handbrake or by using bricks etc.?

Battery aside is there anything else I should do in preparation, or have done (run engine for example) while I'm away?

Any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers

Mark

Post by **campbell** » Wed Oct 26, 2011 11:07 pm

No expert, Mark, but I'd leave in gear, no handbrake (avoid rear pads binding) and with wheel chock(s). Ensure you park it up with brakes nice and warm and dry.

Pop off -ve terminal of battery having ensured alarm has literally just been fully disarmed, lock and head off!

Oh and take a mileage reading too

I wouldn't have thought having the engine turned over whilst away for just 1 month would be of much help, it's so much better to get into a car and drive away cold rather than leaving it "idling" to warm up etc. So the manuals seem to say anyway!

Enjoy your trip.

Campbell

DavieK · Post by **DavieK** » Wed Oct 26, 2011 11:17 pm

Our car is more often than id like parked up for more than a month at a time

and I've never had trouble with it as long as the battery is disconnected.

As for the hand brake the last time we had trouble with the break pads it was the fronts that bound up for some reason

j2 lot · Post by **j2 lot** » Wed Oct 26, 2011 11:39 pm

I'm with Campbell- in gear, wheels chocked and handbrake off.
I have left my car for longer than a month with battery connected but alarm disarmed, no problem when I started it up but then my car was garaged and battery was in good nick so not sure on that one as to how battery would cope with outside temps.

mark_h · Post by **mark_h** » Thu Oct 27, 2011 6:56 am

Cheers guys

r10crw · Post by **r10crw** » Thu Oct 27, 2011 7:50 am

Remember to use a low gear though.
Craig.
Ps I'm speaking from experience, my beloved 205 once went through a caravan because I left it in5th!

rossybee · Post by **rossybee** » Thu Oct 27, 2011 8:11 am

r10crw wrote:I'm speaking from experience, my beloved 205 once went through a caravan because I left it in5th!

Had a very similar (and steep learning) experience about 20yrs ago (not leaving a car in gear) when parking on my mate's inclined drive after a spirited drive...

My beloved Integrale went backwards through his rather sturdy gatepost, ripping off some of the blistered rear nearside blistered arch and peeling the back door open

It was my 1st car with rear discs hence a less effective handbrake

Dark · Post by **Dark** » Thu Oct 27, 2011 8:42 am

What happens if you disconnect the alarm and somebody does try to break-in or steal it? Would your insurance cover be valid?

hendeg · Post by **hendeg** » Thu Oct 27, 2011 9:15 am

r10crw wrote:Remember to use a low gear though.
Craig.
Ps I'm speaking from experience, my beloved 205 once went through a caravan because I left it in5th!

I'm sure I read somewhere on here that it was recommended to leave your car in 3rd for some reason.

meatball · Post by **meatball** » Thu Oct 27, 2011 9:41 am

Or leave it with me...no nasty unused period!

rossybee · Post by **rossybee** » Thu Oct 27, 2011 12:13 pm

hendeg wrote:
r10crw wrote:Remember to use a low gear though.
Craig.
Ps I'm speaking from experience, my beloved 205 once went through a caravan because I left it in5th!
I'm sure I read somewhere on here that it was recommended to leave your car in 3rd for some reason.

Opposite to the downhill facing direction i.e. in reverse if it's facing downhill/1st if it's facing up was always my belief...

Corranga · Post by **Corranga** » Thu Oct 27, 2011 12:35 pm

I always park in gear, I figure it's just good practice. If you don't remember it's in gear when you return, and dip the clutch Don't go cranking the car forward on the starter into whatever is in front of it!

Personally, for that length of time and being away I would:

Park facing uphill, front wheels on (as close to) full lock (as possible) TOWARDS the kerb.
Don't have any tyre contacting the kerb (ie, to avoid making the tyre a weird shape)
Leave in first
Chock the wheels and release the hand brake if possible - obviously unless it's really steep and the car wants to move, leave the brake on - better dealing with seized brakes than a broken car!)

Worst case scenario is then:
With car pointing up hill + wheels pointing towards the kerb = rear of car heading into the kerb if it does move back, the theory being that this is enough to hold the weight.

Chris

Post by **campbell** » Thu Oct 27, 2011 2:13 pm

Dark wrote:What happens if you disconnect the alarm and somebody does try to break-in or steal it? Would your insurance cover be valid?

Well they are not going to get far if the battery is disconnected. I did wonder about this though

Scotty C · Post by **Scotty C** » Thu Oct 27, 2011 2:16 pm

Dark wrote:What happens if you disconnect the alarm and somebody does try to break-in or steal it? Would your insurance cover be valid?

how will anyone know if it was disconneted, if it was stolen?

Post by **campbell** » Thu Oct 27, 2011 2:40 pm

LOL. Two very different perspectives!!

Scottish Elises

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