How To Service A Rarely Driven Exotic Car

Owning an exotic car is an experience filled with excitement and exhilaration. The problem is that sometimes you don’t get to drive it as often as you would like to. Exotic cars aren’t your typical everyday ‘run-around-car.’ Rarely driven cars require a specific servicing approach to keep them running reliably, smoothly, and affordably.

Here’s how to service your exotic car.

Keep The Battery Fresh

A car battery can last for a couple of years in storage if its charge is maintained correctly. It’s not a good idea to leave your battery in the car when it’s parked for a prolonged period. It’s best to either remove the fully charged battery and store it in a dry location, or to link it up to a low voltage trickle charger that will automatically maintain the battery’s charge.

A convenient idea is to install a power switch for the battery. When your car is going to be standing for some time, you can simply switch the battery off so that it’s not slowly drained by the onboard systems. When you’re ready to drive your car, you simply switch the battery back on.

Following these tips will help you to maintain your battery and make it last longer.

A Happy Engine

A common issue with stored vehicles is that their oil sits for a prolonged amount of time and starts to degrade. For this reason, it’s a good idea to install fresh oil in your engine before starting your vehicle again.

New engine oil will help to protect your engine against corrosion and general wear and tear. It’s also recommended to run your engine every second week or so to circulate the lubricant throughout. The circulating lubricant will help to maintain your engine by lubricating and maintaining the internal seals and gaskets.

Don’t Let Your Fuel Sit

Fuel degradation is also a common problem for rarely driven exotic cars. Give it enough time and all fuel will eventually degrade. Newer technology fuels don’t store well and given longer than three months, you may be compromising the integrity of the fuel which could lead to problems. It’s a good idea to pull and flush your gas tank before you start up your car after a long period.

Moisture intrusion is a big problem when it comes to storage. A car’s gas tank goes through certain temperature changes and as this happens, moisture droplets sometimes form on the surfaces that aren’t submerged by gas.

It’s a good idea to fill the tank with ethanol-free gasoline before you park the car for a few months. Ethanol-free fuels have a much longer storage life than blended fuels. A fuel stabilizer additive is a great way to prolong the life of your fuel, extending its life for up to five years.

Run Your Car Every Few Weeks

A good way to prevent moisture build-up and oil degradation is to take your vehicle out for regular drives. This helps your engine prevent carbon build-up and keep everything nicely lubricated. Running the vehicle between 10 to 20 miles every couple of weeks will help to prevent any problems down the line.

Exotic cars are meant for pleasure and enjoyment. The last thing you want is the hassle of a malfunctioning engine because it’s been sedentary for too long. For the best service and preventative maintenance advice, we recommend you take your car to professionals. At Foreign Affairs Motorsport we have a team and highly experienced mechanics who will make sure that your exotic car is well maintained.