Is a car stood for couple of years likely to be ok?

[Wench]

Ok so it’s not a Skoda, but this is the “most relevant” part of the forum I could find. 04 Astra, unfortunately has been SORN for a couple of years. Was garaged until April this year, on the driveway after that. I’ve owned since new, always been well maintained. Battery has been charged, and engine left to run occasionally (I’ve been working away from home and family looking after the car.)

 

She’s going in for service/MoT next week, hopefully get her back on the road.

 

however all I’ve got is my mother wittering and whinging at me that it will have fallen apart and will be no good any more.

 

is mother likely to be right? (I clearly know how long is a piece of string!)

[MarkyG82]

You say you have moved it and have run the engine a few times. Should be reet.

Give it a blast on roads you know maybe with a mate who can push if needed. Test the brakes when safe to do so. Then jobs a goodun.

[Wench]

15 minutes ago, MarkyG82 said:

You say you have moved it and have run the engine a few times. Should be reet.

Give it a blast on roads you know maybe with a mate who can push if needed. Test the brakes when safe to do so. Then jobs a goodun.

Alas I’m not sure that I can get away with doing that, the garage is literally just around the corner. Don’t think the police would be best impressed if I’d gone slightly off route to get to the Mot! 

[peter3197]

All fluids change, particularly the brake fluid.There is a very good chance the brakes will not work well, drums at rear, I presume. Good chance the pistons will be seized or leak. Disks may be just a bit rusty on the front. The service prior to the mot should throw up the problems if they have a really good look round. Best of luck.

[Ootohere]

^^^ Important.

How do the tyres look, not just outer sidewall, inner sidewall as well.

Wiper blades.

Belts. 

The oil and filter will need changing if the engine has just been getting started and ticking over.  Look at the air filter.

 

Old petrol or diesel in the tank might well be off or just some H20 in the tank as well as fuel, or summer grade fuel in the tank depending when filled.

It is winter grade petrol / diesel in filling stations now.

Get it used up and new fuel in, a new Fuel Filter would be a good idea once new fuel in.

Edited 21 December, 2019 by Roottootemoot

[Wench]

Thanks. I’ve got new wiper blades to put on it before it goes to the garage (no point it failing an mot on that or paying more than I need to for a set!)

 

the garage know it’s been off the road for a while, so most of the above should be covered by the service 

[Wench]

It passed with one very minor advisory. 

[KenONeill]

19 minutes ago, Wench said:

It passed with one very minor advisory. 

If you still have it and it's getting a new MoT next year, we'd be interested in knowing if it gets the same advisory (or a fail on that point).What it is not so much but if the point still generates a warning or fail.

[Wench]

I will still have it next year, unless something goes horrendously wrong.

 

the one small advisory will be fixed ASAP 

[KenONeill]

1 hour ago, Wench said:

one small advisory will be fixed ASAP

I asked because I'm sure I'm not the only one who gets advisories in year 1 but different ones or none in year 2,

[PetrolDave]

13 hours ago, KenONeill said:

I asked because I'm sure I'm not the only one who gets advisories in year 1 but different ones or none in year 2,

You're not, over the years MOT advisories from franchised dealers have mysteriously disappeared the next year (and never reappeared) after I did nothing about them and the MOT was done by an indi...

[Ootohere]

5 years of the same advisory of corroded rear brake pipe which first appeared at the first MOT then never appeared again for 10 years.

That brake pipe was never replaced.

The Engine Emissions light on was an advisory for about 7 years and only became a fail after i punted the car to AC. 

Somehow they got an MOT on it though, so they must have fixed it..... I would have fixed it if possible over the 7 years.