Official Car Storage Thread

[tkoforpresident]

I live in Buffalo and the winters here are brutal, i'm 19 years old but i'm thankful enough to have a second car i can drive during the winter months, usually November to April. I am looking for some tips for storing my car away for the winter. I don't have any money to rent a space so it will be going on my rear concrete patio again like last year =( (at least i can work on it if the weather is nice) Last winter I put a soft car cover and a tarp over it, and it kept the snow off, however there was still ice forming on the car beneath the cover. I was hoping to make some sort of tent this year over my car as to keep snow off, but to also let it breathe (and it is much easier to work on). I'm going to list some of the things i plan on doing to store the car and just chime in if you think there's something else i should be doing. =)


1. Tarp below car to catch any leaks.
2. A good wash and wax before winter
3. Replace good tires and rims with old stock ones.
4. Disconnect Negative Battery Cable
5. Start Car weekly
6. Put fuel saver in gas tank
7. remove subwoofer box (last year there was ice forming on my subs =(.....)
8. Oil change, to make sure there is no moisture sitting in it for the winter.

Thats all i've got right now, what else could I do to ensure a good winter for my car?

I should also add aside, that i have done a good amount of preventitive maintenence this month on my winter car (nobody wants their beater to break down during winter time in buffalo FTL ! )

thanx guys =)

[nascar24jd]

Re: Official Car Storage Thread

I do not suggest starting it every wek. It is better to just store it and fire it up in the spring. Starting it every week without driving it or getting it up to full operating temp will just create condensation in the exhaust, prematurely break down the oil, etc...

Otherwise, your plan sounds good so far.

[tkoforpresident]

Re: Official Car Storage Thread

I do not suggest starting it every wek. It is better to just store it and fire it up in the spring. Starting it every week without driving it or getting it up to full operating temp will just create condensation in the exhaust, prematurely break down the oil, etc...

Otherwise, your plan sounds good so far.

Really? I had no idea. I thought you were supposed to run it every now and then to get the oil pumpin and the heat goin and such. So don't start it, just let it be for the winter?

[97rs4life]

Re: Official Car Storage Thread

put it up on blocks as well to get it off the ground unless you don't care about those stock tires and such.

Put drier sheets under each seat, glovebox, trunk, and engine bay. This keeps mice out of the car

remove battery

add some stabil or other fuel additive to remove water from tank. Also fill tank all the way to prevent fuel tank from rusting if it is a car with the metal tank

Put cover on

You are good to go

[nascar24jd]

Re: Official Car Storage Thread

So don't start it, just let it be for the winter?

Yes, just let it be. You will be rewarded for your patience in the spring when you uncover it, turn the key, and fire it up.

[kristen]

Re: Official Car Storage Thread

man i hate this time of year just because this theard is always pulled out.

my camaro just goes under the car cover and pulled under the deck. other than that. i disconnect the battery. and i start her once a week or 2 weeks. but if there isn't snow on the road, i will take her out. i don't pull her all the way down for the winter.

[95redslp]

Re: Official Car Storage Thread

also check your antifreeze level as well as mixture ratio... dont want to replace any freeze plugs ;-)

[Tom Rs]

Re: Official Car Storage Thread

someone should sticky this

[SpeedingFirebird]

Re: Official Car Storage Thread

I start mine every couple of weeks, and let it get up to full temp. I move it back and forth in the driveway, and then put it back in the garage.

Use a quality car cover.

[tkoforpresident]

Re: Official Car Storage Thread

I start mine every couple of weeks, and let it get up to full temp. I move it back and forth in the driveway, and then put it back in the garage.

Use a quality car cover.

yes i have a good cover, one that will not scratch my paint. And yes, i always thought moving the car in each gear was helpful to keep the tranny fresh. Maybe this should be a sticky, there are lots of people out there getting ready to store their cars and need to know the correct way to do it.

97rs- Dryer sheets is a great idea i never thought of it, and is there a specific reason to fully remove the battery from the car? I don't care about my stock tires so i'll put those on.

[FirebirdGT]

Re: Official Car Storage Thread

Need some thoughts regading a different situation.

I'm going to Dallas at the end of March for a few months. I should be back in AZ once a month during that time. Going to definately add STA-BIL to the fuel.

But, should I have my wife start the car once a week, or let it just sit for a month?

Battery?

Tires?

Car is parked inside attached 2-car garage.

[pace2006]

Re: Official Car Storage Thread

I've always put my car away for the spring semester, from January to May. During this time, it sits in a hangar and is driven maybe a day or two every couple of months. A few details:

1. Fuel is left as is; no additives.

2. A small battery tender is hooked up to the battery to keep charge. This will prevent it from going dead and will shut itself off until it detects a drop in the battery charge.

3. Car is washed and cleaned inside and out to keep the creatures out.

4. A dressing is applied to the tires to keep them from drying out. No flat spots in the tires because it is pulled for a drive every two months.

That is pretty much all that I do to put away the car for the semester. It fires right up when it's time to come out and hasn't had any problems in the past.

[cam98aro]

Re: Official Car Storage Thread

Need some thoughts regading a different situation.

I'm going to Dallas at the end of March for a few months. I should be back in AZ once a month during that time. Going to definately add STA-BIL to the fuel.

But, should I have my wife start the car once a week, or let it just sit for a month?

Battery?

Tires?

its only a few months, you really dont have to do anything

the only thing i would worry about is if the battery is old, you may come back to it being dead.

starting it up every once in a while will prevent it to some extent, but i would use a battery trickle charger, or something similar.

i have a car that sits forever, and i start it up about once every 2-3 months, its really all thats needed unless it is parked outside.. IMO you dont need to add anything to the gas, unless once again if it is going to be parked outside

i have started a car that has had gas in the tank for about 10 years and it ran fine.. the gas in my other car that sits is from 2005 and the car still starts and runs perfectly fine with no fuel additives.

[tkoforpresident]

Re: Official Car Storage Thread

Need some thoughts regading a different situation.

I'm going to Dallas at the end of March for a few months. I should be back in AZ once a month during that time. Going to definately add STA-BIL to the fuel.

But, should I have my wife start the car once a week, or let it just sit for a month?

Battery?

Tires?

Car is parked inside attached 2-car garage.

i wouldn't worry much about only a few months. for the past 3 years my brother and i have stored our camaro/firebird from nov. to april (5 months) and after a simple oil change, fluid top off and battery charge they have always fired right up.

[RPDRed6]

Re: Official Car Storage Thread

i have mine in storage since august, ive got StaBil in it, completely claybared and cleaned the hell out of the inside and outside, and bought a good quality car cover, never buy a cheap car cover. i start mine up once or twice a month