How long should a Taco sit?

Hi! New fella here. After a string of bad luck trying to buy used Tacomas I've ended up with a fresh-off-the-lot new one and am pretty stoked about it.

Thing is, I don't really need to drive very much, which is good for keeping mileage low but not always the best thing for a vehicle. I found with my old car, after about 3 weeks, it wasn't keen to run well until it had been driven around for a bit. The engine would sometimes run rough, the suspension would be wonky, various things would creak and squeal, brakes would grind, and it seemed like random plastic bits degraded more quickly the longer it sat.

I usually need to drive a couple times a month so it's not like it's in long term storage, and I can find excuses to drive short trips if it will help to keep it in good shape. When I do drive it's often for highway trips of an hour or more with the occasional cross town jaunt. It's worth mentioning that I don't have a garage so it's going to be exposed to the elements too.

So my question is, how long would you let your truck sit between trips to keep it in optimal condition? How often should fluids be changed when the mileage between them is spread out over a long time? Is this the rare situation where a car cover would actually make sense? How long does gas stay good sitting in a tank?

I'm really not too worried about it but would love to see what internet wisdom is out there for keeping a rarely used vehicle in good condition.

 

So the obvious question to start with here is... Why would you need to buy a Tacoma? What was your reasoning for the purchase?

 

Welcome to TW!!

 

Welcome to TW! Best to run an errand in the Tacoma every few days instead of letting it sit for weeks at a time.

 

I'm not sure how that is relevant to the question, a truck happens to suit my limited driving needs well. Hauling bikes to a trailhead and sleeping in the back are a primary use case.

 

Welcome to TW!!

 

People are probably just wondering why someone would buy a $35K truck and just let it sit is all

 

I don't like to let mine set for more than 3-4 days.

 

Welcome!

 

How long did it sit on the lot not moving? A new vehicle Shound be able to sit for a month and have no issues

 

And I would be worried about mice or squirrels making a new home in your new truck.

 

Welcome to Tw!

 

I don't waste miles and gas commuting back and forth to work .

 

That's the kind of advice I'm looking for. That has actually happened to me before, although not from letting it sit. A mouse snuck into my last van at a camp site and popped up on the dashboard during the drive home, startled the crap out of me. The little fella proceeded to make appearances over the next few months while I was driving around but never in any of the traps I set.

I'll add 'check for nests' to the list of things to check for when I'm inspecting it.

 

I would drive the vehicle at least 150 miles a week to keep it running well (8,000 mikes per year).
Those trips needing to be 20+ miles at a time to get the engine running at oil operating temps.

Oil needs to be changed at least once per year, preferably in the spring. Winter is what can cause changes in the oil.

The other fluids really just depend. I’d be messing with the bolts on everything every 1-2 years.

As for a car cover, its not needed if you take care of your finishes with proper washes and you coat the paint with a sealer, and you have protective products on the lights, plastics, and rubbers.
The only time I would use a cover is if your car is in a place where its going to get hit with bugs, berries, tree sap, bird drippings etc. things that will harm your paint. Dirt doesnt hurt your paint, items above do so you need to be inspecting the truck often for those and wash it off. Get the cover if youll be washinv your truck all the time because of this (washing your truck all the time is not great).

If it were me I’d be getting in my truck every other Sunday morning, grabbing coffee and taking a nice 60 mile highway drive to get everything flowing in the truck.

 

Sitting for one stretch isn't something I'm worried about but sitting for two to three weeks off and on over several years might have some cumulative effect that could be worth protecting against.