| Author | Message | ||
     Jason Pfeiffer Experienced User Username: jpsnaggs Post Number: 28 Registered: 7-2006 |
I dont drive my car everyday, but I do have a compulsion to get in it and start her up. How often do you drive your car, and/or start it? What do you do when driving is not possible? My mechanic informs me that it is best to run her for at least an hour once in awhile to get the juices going... Am I doing my harm then good by just starting the car? Any advice? | ||
| Ben crombie New User Username: crombo97 Post Number: 7 Registered: 9-2006 |
I start mine a least once a fortnight and run it around the block a few times to get it up to temp etc | ||
| Robert Wort Grand Master Username: robert_wort Post Number: 333 Registered: 12-2004 |
There's a saying in Australia (and I'm sure it's in worldwide use as well) in the fitness fraternity-of which I am not a member-and that is "Use it or lose it." This adage definitely applies to all post Cloud/S Series models. There have been many stories of vintage and pre-war models that have been discovered in a shed somewhere and they started up straight away. An urban legend I'm sure but there may have been a couple of examples. This cannot be applied to modern cars though as there are many parts that will perish very rapidly if they are not used regularly. I drive my Spur for at least 200Kms a week and to hell with the bowser expenses. My car was out of use when I first purchased it about 5 years ago and although it had low mileage (123,000 Kms), I suffered many annoyances with it because of its lack of use. Our cars love to be driven. Don't let 'em gather dust. Enjoy them.  (Message edited by Robert Wort on October 05, 2006) | ||
| John Shostrom Frequent User Username: silvawraith2 Post Number: 58 Registered: 4-2005 |
Jason, I could not agree more with Robert, especially as far as the modern Rolls-Royce is concerned. I live in Hong Kong, which is geographically very small, but make sure to run my Mulsanne S out to Chek Lap Kok Airport once a week and back home regardless. That run is 60 miles roundtrip. As a result, during the week for business use, and in extremely crowded and often hot and humid traffic conditions, the car performs flawlessly. Do this for your Spur, and she will reward you with many miles of pleasurable driving. Good luck. | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 650 Registered: 4-2003 |
Hi Jason, All good advice however I would emphasis the importance of covering a reasonable distance [say 100/200Km] each time you use the car. The worst thing you can do is just let the car idle without moving [refer past posts in this forum about the condition of Hong Kong domiciled cars with low mileage and the incidence of problems usually associated with much greater mileages] or a series of short trips where the car doesn't really stabilise before the trip ends. | ||
| Jason Pfeiffer Experienced User Username: jpsnaggs Post Number: 31 Registered: 7-2006 |
David & everyone, I appreciate your posts, all valuable info. David, my problem is that I live in a relatively small town, Tucson Arizona. And, I work about 7 miles away from where I live. I generally like to drive it to work due to ideal parking conditions (my own spot) however that just runs it about 20 minutes in the morning, and 20 minutes on the commute home. I just dont know where I would go to drive that much at one time. Would you suggest that I just do not drive it to and from work anymore and possibly just on the weekends when I can really get it out and about? I really am concerned with the health on my car, and want to do the best thing for it. My mechanic states the same thing you do as well, drive it for at least an hour to get the oil going. I must say that before it went to the bodyshop, I got out and drove it awhile, and it had never run better. | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 653 Registered: 4-2003 |
Hi Jason, I wouldn't call Tucson a small town by any stretch of the imagination - Tombstone qualifies but not Tucson. Great part of the world with a lot of shared characteristics with certain parts of Australia. Forget about using your vehicle as a "daily commuter" - it is meant for better things than this! You now qualify for "David's Dirty Weekend Preventative Maintenance Schedule": 1. Take the parner of your choice and pack your bags for an early departure on Saturday morning. 2. Make a reservation at suitable accommodation at least 100 miles away from your home. 3. Enjoy the drive and try to give the car a decent run at legal maximum speed for at least 30/45 minutes or longer if possible. 4. Have fun at your destination. 5. On the way home, repeat item 3. 6. Make a date to do the same thing 4/5 weeks later. You will be amazed at the difference it makes to your car - some problems requiring attention should be expected during the early trips if the car has been out-of-service for some time however these will soon cease. You will also enjoy the pleasure of going to new places and experiencing new things. If nothing else, please drive down to Tombstone and have a drink in the bar in the main street diagonally opposite the "Birdcage Theatre" and enjoy the atmosphere - still have the photograph of myself in my aussie Akubra hat with the character who plays Wyatt Earp in his Stetson sharing a beer at the bar. | ||
| Robert Wort Grand Master Username: robert_wort Post Number: 335 Registered: 12-2004 |
Of course Jason, You could always drive to work via New York.  | ||
| Bill Coburn Moderator Username: bill_coburn Post Number: 739 Registered: 4-2003 |
Please, before onanism destroys you all, hopefully all of you bought the car you have to enjoy it. There have been hundreds of little old ladies wandering a couple of miles down to the local kirk on Sunday in their Rolls-Royce and back until it took the run of a lifetime under the toe of their nephew when he drove to her funeral! And yet the car survived. I have a local Cloud that has Le Mans dashes from home to office at least twice a day - a distance of 10K! It is probably pushing the quarter mil mileage yet still goes like the clappers. A bit of blow by, oil gets changed frequently, transmission still OK as is everything else. The owner loves the car and it is much admired. Personally my car is there for enjoyment. I don't aim to have the only '84 Spur with under 100K in another 20 years. Jason enjoy the car. Do your 7 miles each way. At the weekend go for a burn and blow out the cobwebs. Spirits particularly are not rare and probably won't be collector's pieces for another 50 years. Why accomodate them rather that tend to your own enjoyment. But if you follow this advice ensure the maintenance, particularly frequent oil changes and all the other time based service tasks laid down by the Factory. | ||
| Jason Pfeiffer Experienced User Username: jpsnaggs Post Number: 33 Registered: 7-2006 |
Ugh, Both gentleman are very wise... I have a feeling if I take it on trips on the weekend, I may live longer as well We all need to get out and see things.. But, gosh, I just love to drive it to work as well... Every morning - I stand in the garage looking at it... Looking at the weather, etc... I just hate not to drive it. | ||
| bob uk Unregistered guest Posted From: brig-cache-4.server.ntli.net |
All Royces made after 1966 do not like being left standing. In the main this is because of the brakes and the hydraulics. I have seen brake pumps stick. when the engine is started the piston in the pump goes up but does not return and there is no hydraulic pressure and no brakes. All cars except diesels When the engine is started on choke the extra petrol washes away the oil from the bores and the cold engine produces some nasty corrosive stuff which will rust pit the bores and rot the exhasut quick time. LPG does not do this. When the engine is stationary a valve(s) must be open and I have seen valves stick open caused by damp getting in. I drive my car daily 7 miles to work and 7 back plus other incidental trips. I make a point of at least once a week working all the controls such as electric seats. A motor museum ( Haynes at Sparkford - workshop manual people ) told me that all their exhibits run ( they have Clark Gable's Deusenburg). When they are run they drive them around for at least 5 miles and sometimes as in the case of the Deusenberg 20 miles. They never start an engine unless they are going to use the car. They paid £1 million for the Deusenburg in 1996. (Message approved by david_gore) | ||
| KC Saayman Frequent User Username: kc_saayman Post Number: 48 Registered: 10-2004 |
I drive my Shadow every day. When I bought my first Shadow I treated it like something fragile, only drove it on occasion, and always worried about it. I soon realised that I may be a Rolls-Royce owner, but do I really enjoy and appreciate ownership while the car is under a nice soft cover inside the garage? I may as well just get a picture of one, and at least enjoy looking at it! So, I decided to progress from owner to driver! I sold my aging 1970 Shadow and bought the best Shadow I could afford at the time (a 1974 model) and drive it every day. It was the best decision I ever made. I look forward to leaving for work every morning, and look forward to sitting in traffic on my way home in the afternoon. The car has performed faultlessly to date, is reasonable on maintenance and the fuel consumption is well within acceptable levels. As for mileage, I plan to get value for my money, and hope to enjoy hundreds of thousands of miles in the car. Kind regards to all KC South Africa | ||
| Peter Colwell Experienced User Username: peter_colwell Post Number: 22 Registered: 3-2005 |
The absolute worst thing that can be done for any enthusiast vehicle is to start it and run it for a short time only. All this does is fill every crevice in the exhaust and engine with water and corrosive condensation. If the car cannot be driven, the next best thing is to turn it over by hand occasionally, and possibly jack up one wheel so as to be able to turn the transmission. Long experience has proved to me that not running at all will do no harm as long as the engine is perfectly dry all the time. To avoid corrosion, it is wise to put the car in to its final resting place after each drive while it is still really hot, not after it has stood in the drive for half an hour. Drives of around ten kilometres at very least are needed, and the bonus is that by doing this, oil seals will expand and even stop leaking to a some extent. Brakes will also function as they should for much longer. The news from following this policy is all good, exhausts last almost forever, and engine life is virtually indefinite. I have a new German car fitted with an electronic oil temperature gauge. It takes at least ten kilometres for the gauge to register 80ºC, even in the warm weather. Even though the water temp rises to normal inside a couple of minutes. Peter  | ||
| bob uk Unregistered guest Posted From: brig-cache-4.server.ntli.net |
The only time I do not use my Royce is when the vehicle would be unsuitable. Like risk of vandalism or a large object. The rest of the time I use the car. Mileage is not a concern because my car is 31 years old and low mileage is irellevant as regards the value. I have owned the car for 17 years so the original price paid is long forgotten ( £8860 May 1989 ) In 1989 a new Ford was about £12000 and now a 1989 Ford is worth £100 and even less. My car is probaly worth £6000-£9000 so in effect I have a free car. Also prices have bottomed out so they can only go up in value-- regardless of mileage. Give the Shadow another 10 years and the prices will go up, and the best ones will be the daily drivers. The Shadows is one of those cars that is cheaper to respray than fix the mechanics. So I do not worry to much about a scratch. Also I have fully comprehensive insurance in case something bad happens. A local company had a building collapse on a new Spirit a few years back and the insurance company replaced the car. Royces left in garages un-used and un-insured is fatal. (Message approved by david_gore) | ||
| Craig Knight New User Username: grum_ck Post Number: 2 Registered: 9-2007 |
Hi guys, another very interesting thread… I have just bought my first Bentley and was planning to use it for a few long trips, but I think I will use it as often as possible now. I’m living in England at the moment, so a trip or Two to Europe might be in order. Thanks, Grum | ||
| Peter Colwell Frequent User Username: peter_colwell Post Number: 57 Registered: 3-2005 |
Just to expand a little on my post above, regarding only running the car until thoroughly hot, AND especially putting it away while still hot. I recently revived my Mini Cooper S that I bought new in 1969. From 1982 until this year, ie. 25 years, it had not run, not once. But it was kept in a good shed, perfectly dry, and the engine was regularly turned over by hand. After the SU carburettors were cleaned, and normal service done, new filters etc, the engine was ceremoniously started. No it did not start at first turn, but it was not difficult, and it runs EXACTLY the same as it did 25 years ago. No major work has ever been done on the engine. As far as the engine is concerned, the 25 years of anaesthetic did not happen. I have a similar story with a diesel truck engine, perfectly dry, not run, new battery and the 14 year hiatus did not exist. I am convinced that the absolute worst thing that can be done to destroy a classic engine, is to run it for a few minutes in the garage, and then leave it. The next worst thing is to allow the engine to cool down in the driveway after a drive, and then drive it briefly to the garage, filling it with water and corrosion. If there are spits of water coming from the exhaust, it is not hot and will be full of acid. |
