Piston Slap: Limited Use but Unlimited Potential?
I own a Jaguar (Ford Era) that gets driven only about once a week, with jaunts of a few miles to several hundred. I keep syn oil in the engine. I have owned this car for several years and the only problem to date is the flat spotting of the tires. What should I do to keep this vehicle in good running condition? Is weekly driving enough?
Sajeev answers:
As someone with more cars than sense I could use, let me tell you: weekly driving is the best place to start. Driving prevents leaks from dried out gaskets, keeps fuel (especially E10 blends) fresh by never letting it go bad, recharges the battery, keeps tires round, prevents fluids from separating into its base ingredients (coolant turning into jelly or crystals), brakes (caliper pistons) free of rust and ensures your HVAC system doesn’t get sticky mechanisms/stale smelling.
This driving regiment will highlight “old car” problems: some major enough for immediate attention, others not important enough to ever address for the life of the vehicle. It’s all part of the process, and it’s a fun process. Why?
Because NOT driving a car is a death sentence. Drive the Jag sometimes and drive it hard. You already trust it for long journeys, this is a no brainer. The Jag will like it, and you will love it.**
- Bad day at work? Take the Jag to the corporate car park tomorrow. Shock/impress/intimidate your co-workers. They need it, too.
- Want to make a statement at a party? Motor in the Jag and come correct, like a Boss.
- Nervous about a first date? Not in a Shaguar you ain’t! Yeeeah baby, yeah!
**Weather pending. I’m looking at you, Rust Belt.
Bonus! A Piston Slap Nugget of Wisdom:
In the above, replace Jaguar with Cougar and you have my basic story. My story is the truth, especially once the cat was old enough for classic car insurance. I know my story applies to anyone with a vehicular “toy” in the garage for occasional use. Man or woman. Rich or Poor. Black or White. Bus pass or mundane daily driver. Jaguar or Cougar.
Please believe: You gotta Do It, To It.
Send your queries to sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.com. Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you’re in a hurry…but be realistic, and use your make/model specific forums instead of TTAC for more timely advice.
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" Motor in the Jag and come correct, like a Boss." I'm a fan of the new XJ, it's a great car, but there is nothing quite like driving one of the classic XJs. The Series III models have the best looks but the Ford era cars are probably more reliable (though the 6 cylinder "XJ" Jaguar engine is about as mechanically reliable as a machine can be). The classic XJs are proper motor cars. The only better way to arrive, as far as I'm concerned, would be in a pre-war dual cowl phaeton, preferably a Duesenberg, but a Packard, Cadillac or Lincoln dual cowl would be fine.
If it was mine, I'd make a point of driving the Jag every weekend. Drive it more than just a few miles like 10 miles or more each way to make sure it gets up to operating temperature. Use the air conditioning at least once a month. I'd probably pay a few cents extra a gallon for one of the higher end gasoline brands like Shell or Chevron. If it's used every week I doubt you'll need to do anything special like keep the battery on a charger or add fuel stabilizer. Tires may need to be replaced due to age before the tread wears out.