Blog

Spring is here, which means that it’s time to pull the cover off of your nice sports
car and take it for a spin around the block. But alas! Once you’re on the road you
find that your brakes are shuddering, the battery isn’t holding a charge and your
suspension has creaks galore. You take good care of your car, so how did this
happen? More than likely, the dreaded “lot rot” has claimed another victim, and
your vehicle has deteriorated from non­use. There are varying degrees of
deterioration and long­term damage depending on how long it’s been since the
car was driven, which is why Vesas Automotive is here to help you learn a few
tricks to diagnose the issue and (on occasion) prevent it altogether!

Vehicle age is not a factor

Lot rot is something that most people associate with older or used vehicles, but in
truth new cars and trucks sometimes suffer from this problem just as much as
their older cousins. New cars can spend months or even years parked in large
auto storage lots on the other side of the country before making their way to your
doorstep, and that means the dreaded lot rot can be lurking within the innards of
your “new” mechanical beast. Now granted, most car dealerships survive on their
testament to quality vehicles (at least at the time of sale), but since many
symptoms of lot rot are not covered by conventional warranties, always check the
car over before you buy it. Even an untrained eye can see that abnormally­high
amounts of break dust or unusual tire wear isn’t normal, so if an inactive car starts
showing any of these symptoms lot rot is the likely culprit.

Degrees of Rot

Just like anything else, lot rot can range from a minor problem that corrects itself
all the way up to serious repairs, so it’s important to know when to shout doom
and gloom and when to simply wait it out. Breaks and rotors are both some of the
earliest areas of a car to show corrosion from sitting too long, mostly due to the
materials having no protective coatings or alloys. When activating a vehicle’s
brakes, it’s common to experience shuddering, increased vibration and longer
stopping distances when lot rot is involved, but if subsides and/or disappears after
a day of city driving (frequent stopping and going), chances are the rot was minor
and should not seriously impact your vehicle. If however it takes several days
before any improvement, the rotors have likely suffered more severe corrosion
and will need to be professionally checked to see if the rotors need resurfacing or
if new parts are needed

With higher­quality materials in vehicles and more time spent on the road each
year, modern drivers that experience lot rot isn’t nearly as high as it was twenty
years ago. Still it’s important to be aware that the problem is real, and doesn’t
differentiate between affordable sedans, expensive sports cars or high­end
trucks. If you do find yourself with a vehicle that’s suffering from the dreaded lot rot however, don’t despair! Call on your friends at Vesas Automotive. We’re here
to help! Happy driving!