Hi everyone. For various reasons, I've never been abroad before (mostly my kidney and heart disease and frequent surgeries, then the birth of my two daughters 18 months apart)... Today after five years of trying to organise something we're finally getting ready to leave for the airport for a week on Majorca! It just occurred to me in the shower though, that perhaps the car needs a couple of precautionary steps while I'm away? It hadn't crossed my mind before. 

 

It'll be stationary for eight days, reverse parked on our driveway which faces a slight uphill incline.  With all the electrical systems and gubbins, and the DSG box, are there any sensible precautions to take before we go? Perhaps something to disable or turn off I hadn't thought of, or something to prevent the handbrake seizing a bit over the week? 

 

Random I know (sorry) but it's funny the things you worry about once you think of them. My wife thinks I'm mental (I probably am!).   It has three coats of wax and is gated so I'm not too bothered about much else. Does anyone have any last minute advice before we go at 1pm? Fingers crossed and see you all in a week (I'll probably pop on with my phone at some point!). Cheers.   :sun:

Edited 11 October, 20169 yr by Rainmaker

Naw it'll be fine. Just lock it up and forget it. Have a great time !

Don't be surprised if you hear a scraping noise when you first drive the car, it's just rust build up on the brake discs.

Just find a quiet straight road and slam the brakes on a few times and it should scrub off.

With the cold weather approaching (it's reached -temperatures near me already!) you might want to put a dehumidifier bag in the cabin.

Thanks guys! Good tip about the dehumidifying bag Fin69, I have a couple stashed so I'll dig them out.

Maybe put chocks behind a couple of wheels and leave the handbrake off? But that's sort of it really from me.

I'm going away for 3-weeks in February, the only precaution I'm taking is to park it on a friends drive so its not left outside my flat............................ well I do live in Beirut according to the vehicle insurance world!

...also make a quick check to see if anything could melt (chocolate) or go stale or drip through a paper cup (fast food soda) etc.

Thanks again chaps. En route to the airport in the minibus now so it's all sorted. Just discovered a set of scratches down to primer on the top of the boot lid (ie facing the sky) but nowhere else. Some sod no doubt. Easy smart repair when we get home so I've just sealed it with BSD to protect from the rain this week and am refusing to let it cloud the holiday. Talk to you all in a week.

Don't leave anything plugged into 12v sockets. (Like I did) Have a great time 

Don't leave anything plugged into 12v sockets. (Like I did) Have a great time 

 

Yeh that nearly caught me out in the summer, assumed the 12v sockets would switch off after a short time but seem to be permanently live, left my electric coolbox plugged in overnight and woke up to a 'low battery start engine immediately' message! Thankfully it did start as I was heading down to the Eurotunnel!

Yeh that nearly caught me out in the summer, assumed the 12v sockets would switch off after a short time but seem to be permanently live, left my electric coolbox plugged in overnight and woke up to a 'low battery start engine immediately' message! Thankfully it did start as I was heading down to the Eurotunnel!

Left the 12v coolbox plugged in on overnight ferry from Portsmouth to France. Completely flat battery, no central locking, no nothing. Bit of a traffic problem but sorted out by Brittany Ferries guy who arrived with a massive battery jump-starter.

Left the 12v coolbox plugged in on overnight ferry from Portsmouth to France. Completely flat battery, no central locking, no nothing. Bit of a traffic problem but sorted out by Brittany Ferries guy who arrived with a massive battery jump-starter.

 

 

 

Yeh that nearly caught me out in the summer, assumed the 12v sockets would switch off after a short time but seem to be permanently live, left my electric coolbox plugged in overnight and woke up to a 'low battery start engine immediately' message! Thankfully it did start as I was heading down to the Eurotunnel!

 

 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/408582-low-battery-warning-on-start-up/ -

 

Same sort of, but left the doors open and i think now my phone was charging all afternoon after thinking about the thread i posted.

 

I think its a design fault as the battery on these cars is really small, but then so are these 4 cylinder engines which dont require much CCA

I wouldn"t worry. My 1st car was a 1976 Toyota Celica which was parked for several months in freezing wintry conditions in Germany. Being a Toyota it started 1st turn of the key but ai couldn't put it through the German MOT until the ice encasing the spare tyre had melted. Solved it by parking it in ths spray bay of an WWII hangar overnight.

I wouldn"t worry. My 1st car was a 1976 Toyota Celica which was parked for several months in freezing wintry conditions in Germany. Being a Toyota it started 1st turn of the key but ai couldn't put it through the German MOT until the ice encasing the spare tyre had melted. Solved it by parking it in ths spray bay of an WWII hangar overnight.

 

TA22 ?

I'm going away for 3-weeks in February, the only precaution I'm taking is to park it on a friends drive so its not left outside my flat............................ well I do live in Beirut according to the vehicle insurance world!

 

That's a bit worrying - I'm down in Walthamstow for a meeting tomorrow - any tips on making sure my Superb is in one piece when I get back to it ?!!!    :peek:

I thought we had another MkIII owner deciding to sell their car on when I read the thread title Enjoy your holiday, sounds like its well deserved!

TA22 ?

Not sure what TA22 means, so probably not :-)

Not sure what TA22 means, so probably not :-)

http://retrorides.proboards.com/thread/158480/1976-toyota-celica-ta22-nazeing

That's a bit worrying - I'm down in Walthamstow for a meeting tomorrow - any tips on making sure my Superb is in one piece when I get back to it ?!!!    :peek:

 

You should be fine, where are you going in Walthamstow?

I left mine at stanstead long stay for 4 weeks this summer. No issues whatsoever, everything was as if I'd left it for an hour.

You should be fine, where are you going in Walthamstow?

Council offices on Fulbourne Road. Apparently I can park on road just to the north where the CPZ ends - haven't been there before but a colleague has.

Council offices on Fulbourne Road. Apparently I can park on road just to the north where the CPZ ends - haven't been there before but a colleague has.

 

Fulbourne Road gets very narrow at one end and its a bus route with parking on both sides of the road, if I remember correctly its one where you are allowed to bump up the kerb, keep you vehicle within the white lines though as there are some very zealous Parking Wardens in the LBWF.

 

There is a Homebase at the top of Fulbourne Road with a large car park however I don't know what the maximum stay is and how closely they police it.

 

Have fun  

http://retrorides.proboards.com/thread/158480/1976-toyota-celica-ta22-nazeing

Thanks, mine was a red 1600 ST. Same body style but not as exotic as the twin cam 2.0

¡Buenas noches Señores!

We are back in the UK and frankly wish we weren't! It was a good flight home, but a very windy/bumpy landing. We've gone from a clear blue sky and 30°C to a RealFeel 3°C and hammering rain. The UK is so dull in comparison. I'd gladly live out there I think... The people are amazingly laid back and friendly, and the 4* hotel was spot on. There was some seriously nice metal on the island but mostly battered Peugeot, Citroen and Seat types. It seems cars are very much appliances over there.

Anyway my car is just fine and was a sight for sore eyes when we pulled up. All beaded up lovely in the rain and she started on first turn of the key, good as gold. Like putting on an old coat! I'll be taking a good run tomorrow to recharge the battery (not just for the hoon, honest ). Thanks for all the advice.

We've gone from a clear blue sky and 30°C to a RealFeel 3°C and hammering rain. The UK is so dull in comparison. I'd gladly live out there I think...

Welcome back.

 

Now you know why so many people from the UK want to retire in mainland southern Europe or a Mediterranean island - including myself.