Not using our vehicles could lead to hidden costs

Cars that have been parked for months may need work, Lorraine Sommerfeld says.

Many of us parked our cars while working from home or riding out the lockdown. We saved money on fuel, saved mileage on the vehicle, saved on repairs, and maybe even on insurance. Well, get ready to meet what could be the hidden costs to saving so much money.

Like airplanes and racehorses, cars are built to be in motion.

They need their lubricants heated and circulated to flush out particles, and their moving parts need to move to avoid seizing. Instead, for month after month now, many of the cars we own and those sitting on dealer lots have been stagnant.

Chris Muir, a professor at Centennial College in Toronto as well as an independent mechanic, has been back at the tool box since school ended.

“Business is booming, and we’re definitely seeing the downside to cars that have been sitting,” he says.

“Brakes are No. 1. The world ground to a halt during the salt months, and we’re seeing a lot of corrosion on exposed drums and rotors. We’re doing lots of brake jobs.”

It’s not abnormal to have a light layer of rust on your brake rotors, sometimes even forming overnight.

The first few times you apply the brakes, it gets shed.

As well as the cars in our driveways, there have also been thousands sitting in dealers’ lots, both new and used.

Automobile Protection Association (APA) consultant (and former dealer principal) John Raymond says many vehicles arrive at a dealer’s lot about three to six weeks after production.

The average time they sit on that lot is about two months, which means when shopping, we may be looking at a car that has been sitting far longer than the actual lockdown.

Ideally, cars on a lot are moved around regularly, which tests the brakes, too, and their batteries are checked.

But, like nearly all retailers, dealers have been hit hard. There have been fewer, if any, staff to maintain what were once standard protocols.

Yard damage can occur from vehicles being cleared of snow and ice, and tires can develop flat spots, windows can get stuck, wiper blades can be compromised, and humidity and rodents can bring problems.

“The issue is whether or not the dealer maintained the inventory properly. Ask when the car you’re considering arrived on the lot,” says Raymond. “If the pre-delivery inspection

(PDI) was done when it arrived, request another one. Often, the paperwork — delivery paperwork, battery report, last PDI — will be in the glovebox. It’s worth taking a look.”

He also says you can ask to see the newest car if they have several the same.

“If there are four Civics, tell them you want the newest one. It will have the highest serial number.”

George Iny, president of the APA, reminds consumers to find out if a car’s warranty has already been activated.

“If the car was pinned by the dealer as a sold unit to benefit from a bonus program, the warranty starts to run from that date. The seller is supposed to tell you several months of warranty have elapsed, but sometimes forget.”

Lastly, if buying, ask about any recalls, service bulletins, or software updates that may have been issued during the down period.

Whether it’s getting your own vehicle back to pre-lockdown condition, or purchasing a new or used car from a dealer, ensure it is safe and in good condition with these extra steps.

We are in unprecedented times for everything, including our cars.