Dear Fellow Lexus Owners,

I own a 2002 RX300 with 90,000 miles. Excellent condition. I will live outside the country for 3 years. The car will remain with my family in North Carolina, uncovered in a garage. But, there will be no car insurance maintained on the car, so driving would be limited to very short brief trips on a back paved road. Questions to maintain its present very good working status, for your kind advice:

- How often should the engine be turned on?
- How far should the car be driven per week?
- How often should the oil and any other liquids be changed?
- Are there any other routine maintenance steps that should be taken to help ensure that the car is in similar very good working condition upon return as when I leave?

Thanks a lot!

 

IMO, unless the car can be driven enough to get it to full operating temperature on a regular basis, you'd be better off just storing it. Short trips will just wash the oil off the cylinders.

Change the oil just before you put it into storage. Run with the new oil just long enough for it to circulate.

Put Sta-bil liquid in the gas and run with it long enough for all the gas in the system to contain Sta-bil.

Finally, use a fogger to coat the cylinder walls:

 

I'd put it on blocks so the tires don't get flat spots, as well.

 

Do not start it once you put it in storage till you are ready to drive it daily.

Air up the tires to prevent flat spotting.

Put some moth ***** around the car to prevent rodents.

Pull the battery out of the car and leave it in a warm place.

+1, to changing the engine oil out before storing the car.

 

Some more comments:

Wash it and wax it.
Give the rubber / vinyl parts a coat of Armor All / STP Son of a Gun / 303 protectant. Give them another when you take it out of storage.