I don't use my car that much in terms of driving frequently. It can often be a week or more between when I actually need to use the car. Then when I do need to use the car it will be for several hundred miles over a weekend, mainly motorway miles.

So, I'm not doing those engine damaging short journeys and spend little time (hopefully!) sitting in traffic. So thats the good news, but I'm sure such infrequent use has it's downsides too? For example the brake discs are covered in surface rust by the time I come to use it. Are the tyres or suspension being stressed detrimentally from being stationary in one position for prolonged periods of time? Should I leave the handbrake off and chock the wheels to stop the handbrake binding? Is the body work going to be affected (I live on the coast, approx 200m from the beach so lots of sand and sea air blowing around - the car it parked outside). Anything else I've not thought of?

Sorry for all the questions, I just want to keep the car in as good condition as possible. Would it be worth taking it for say a 20 mile drive once a week just for the sake of getting everything up to operating temperature, applying the brakes hard a few times to clear the discs?

Any advice most welcome.

If you are taking it for a decent drive every week, I wouldn't worry. My brake disks get surface rust on them overnight.

The most significant factor will be the salty sea air.

Your usage is pretty much ideal, no need to worry about it being stationary for a week or two, if it were laid up for months then it's good to take the weight off the tyres etc but 1-2 weeks is fine as it gets a good run when it is used.

The only thing you have to worry about is the environmental exposure from the sea air. Make sure it's always got a coating of a tough long lasting wax or synthetic and not just on the surfaces either, you need a coating on the hidden bits, under the trim etc as the salt will settle here and allow damage as it is largely unprotected on hidden areas. Not an issue for most cars as those areas just get rainwater and not salty water to deal with.

You could get a nice soft cover for the car too if usage is that infrequent, more fiddly but protection from sun, salty wind and rain.

Thanks for the advice.

One for the techies- if it don't apply to the brake shoes on Skodas , then forget it . Few years ago , I had problems with a Cavalier after a trip in rain , and left overnight with handbrake on,in one of the wettest places in UK.RAC BLOKE ( LOCAL CONTRACTOR ) said they got a lot of problems like that with various cars( possibly certain brands of linings) .Water got into rear linings, and as they dried ,linings glued to drums. So if I leave a car parked up for any length of time, I always leave in gear ,with handbrake off .

OH-yes as you're beside the seaside ,I'd ( as said) give it plenty of wash and wax ( especially the latter) - I hail from the north west coast ,where cars got salt water all year ,and didn't like it .

Edited 7 November, 201015 yr by VWD

One for the techies- if it don't apply to the brake shoes on Skodas , then forget it . Few years ago , I had problems with a Cavalier after a trip in rain , and left overnight with handbrake on,in one of the wettest places in UK.RAC BLOKE ( LOCAL CONTRACTOR ) said they got a lot of problems like that with various cars( possibly certain brands of linings) .Water got into rear linings, and as they dried ,linings glued to drums. So if I leave a car parked up for any length of time, I always leave in gear ,with handbrake off .

OH-yes as you're beside the seaside ,I'd ( as said) give it plenty of wash and wax ( especially the latter) - I hail from the north west coast ,where cars got salt water all year ,and didn't like it .

Most cars I think these days have standard ABS and so disc brakes all round which are less of a problem.

There are/were a couple of problems affecting braking materials;

1. Since asbestos stopped being used, friction material has become more metallic and some of the ferrous content can rust and bind between the pad/shoe and the disc/drum.

2. Some of the friction materials absorb more water than others causing the material to swell and bind. Shoes on drums are worse for this as the material has a larger surface area and is generally softer.