Have a Titanium Estate 2.0 tdci . I am planning to visit Australia soon and will be away for just over three months.. Can anyone advise me please on the best way to leave the vehicle as it is unlikely I will be able to arrange for anybody to periodically start it up. Someone mentioned to me that the 'electronics close down ' but didn't know any other info.

I don't know whether the implication is that your car will be parked at somewhere like an airport parking (...well, off airport...) or whether it will be at home?

If at home, I'd disconnect the battery (alternative - get one of those solar charger thingies - snag, the cigar lighter turns off after ~ 20 mins, so you'd need something similar but directly wired, or a strategically placed wire with a diode to allow charging). Any length of time over three or four weeks and, if the battery is connected normally, there is a good chance of it going flat.

Other snag; with the battery disconnected, the anti-theft stuff isn't working. Make your own judgement on whether this is problematic.

If it was me, and this is controversial, I'd be putting an additive that has (probably) zinc in it, in the engine oil before I left and getting the oil changed soon after I arrived back. If it isn't run for long with the additive, not enough will burn to cause damage to the exhaust aftertreatment, and it will offer some additional protection on first start up. There will be people who tell you that this stuff is poison, and it is if enough burns off and particularly to petrol engine three way catalytic converters. (Hence: get it changed soon after return, so basically, nearly zero burns off.) Maybe, just maybe, the Castrol Magnatec with its 'intelligent molecules' does enough of the same thing, and that isn't a problem to leave in.

Another point worth considering is if the bodywork is likely to be exposed to bird poo or tree sap (ruins paintwork) its worth garaging it or protecting it with a cover, etc

I left mine mk4 for 2 months before and it was fine when I started it up even the battery was fine the dos not shut itself out but as for the battery its all luck

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