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You guys are killing me! Here in Syracuse NY (2nd Snowiest city in the country BTW!) it is still too early to say goodnight to putting it away. Matter of fact I played golf yesterday in shorts with temps hitting 75f. It will go on the battery tender only when the snow starts flying and staying on the ground.
It's just a car after all....Drive it!! The only thing I worry about right now is Bambi wanting to jump in the car. I am on constant alert to that in the mornings right now.
Agreed. I haven't seen snow reported in any state yet. Are you guys putting your cars away because its starting to get a little chilly? I dont get it.
Some people in our club only drive their Corvettes for the Monthly Dinner Rides. Other than that it just sits there. On our last ride Oct 18th, many were on their way to hibernation the very next day.
I have one customer that schedules the oil change so that he can get his car in for October 1st to get the "full month" of storage and not get cheated.
Maybe some owners don't have the time to drive their Corvettes and feel guilty of not enjoying it so putting them in storage relieves them of that "guilt"?
I get so many comments this time of year..."Why isn't that thing in storage yet?". I got 2 of those yesterday!
I tell them I'm just not ready and why?
Chuck M
Last edited by hotmotorsports; 10-29-2014 at 09:48 AM.
What a great marketing company. For a business who started off with products to "protect" small engines in lawnmowers and snow blowers, they certainly have you guys freaked out.
Oh well, good for them for fooling so many people as they are laughing all the way to the bank.
Some people in our club only drive their Corvettes for the Monthly Dinner Rides. Other than that it just sits there. On our last ride Oct 18th, many were on their way to hibernation the very next day.
I have one customer that schedules the oil change so that he can get his car in for October 1st to get the "full month" of storage and not get cheated.
Maybe some owners don't have the time to drive their Corvettes and feel guilty of not enjoying it so putting them in storage relieves them of that "guilt"?
I get so many comments this time of year..."Why isn't that thing in storage yet?". I got 2 of those yesterday!
Sometimes I wonder too, but you can't put them down for it. It makes sense to them. They are good people and fun to be with (like all Corvette owners).
As to why I put mine up already, the forecast last week called for high temps to start falling into the low to mid forties with a chance of snow this weekend. From past experience living here in Northeast Ohio most of my life, I know the chance of decent weather is rapidly going away. I do my own maintenance and prefer not to wash the car and change oil in 30 degree weather. Plus the roads we like to drive get covered with leaves and add some moisture to the mix and it gets a bit dicey if you want to drive with any amount of speed. We did have a fun summer of driving and got to take a nice trip to the NC mountains in September. We did the Tail of the Dragon and some other great roads down there. I will admit I am a bit envious of those that get to drive their Vettes all year round.
I will admit I am a bit envious of those that get to drive their Vettes all year round.
I wish I could drive my car year round, but the salt and sand that they use on the roads starting in late November to combat the frost, snow, etc, is just so harmful to metal of any kind. That stuff they put on the highways is a brine mixture that is just nasty!
The plus of putting the car away for 5 months is:
"Absence makes the heart grow fonder"
Each and every day, I can't wait for April 1 so I get reacquainted with my baby
To those who've (apparently) never lived in the north, SALT is the big enemy to any nice car. It will corrode any kind of metal, including the frame, suspension components, even the brake pads, ANYTHING and EVERYTHING that is exposed. You can tell a Vette that has been driven in salt just by the corrosion on the aluminum brake calipers. No, it won't rust the body on a Vette like a steel car but it doesn't help the paint any.
They are calling for accumulating snow here this weekend. Will they salt the roads? Probably not but who knows?
As for snow itself, it depends on where you live: I have trouble getting out of my driveway sometimes with my 4WD truck.
As for changing oil: It has been known for decades that used oil has acids and other contaminants that are not good for a stored engine. That's why it is recommended to store with fresh oil.
I still had plenty of time left on my oil but I changed it anyway. It's cheap insurance.
I put a rubber floor down under the car since my garage is cement and unheated. The rubber floor keeps the cold and moisture from drawing up into the underside of the car. Then I put Tire Cradles down and drive her on to park. She's already been washed, waxed inside and out (I always lather on a good coat of leather wax before storage), gas tank filled, Stabil added, battery tender hooked up, flannel sheets over top, then the the cover over the car including covering the tailpipes. She'll stay that way till spring, never being started till the cover comes off.
But not yet. In the 50's all next week yet, so no cover yet. Maybe get another nice ride in.....or two.
Did it last week-end. They were two of the nicest fall days we had in the greater north. pics are 20 minutes before going to put her away for the winter. Cover went on after the final pic next to a 78ish vette and a sliver shadow.
I understand both sides of the equation on when to hang it up. I'm am not going to carry collision insurance any longer for a few extra nice days in the Midwest. Time to break out the snowmobile- let it snow!
I drive it until the salt hits the highways. Sometimes that's as late as December Then my '11 vette and my '96 Impala SS both go into car pockets in the garage. The battery tenders go on, some mousetraps under the car in case a mouse decides to chew its way into the car pocket and lastly put some moisture absorbers inside to keep everything nice and dry. Zip up the pocket and it she is nice and dry until spring.
That's not my vette and I use it inside the garage but you get the idea.
70 Degrees in New Rochelle NY yesterday and the same for today. Forecast is for the 60's next week, whats the rush for putting these cars away. Makes no sense to me.
Agreed. I try not to put a calendar date on the storage procedure, but if the roads are clear (no snow, sand or salt) I try to stretch the season out a bit. Just need to be careful of somewhat lesser grip in those colder temps!
We had a bit of snow Saturday night, but this is what I awoke to this morning. I'm at 1150 feet; above 1500' around here there was 4-5 inches on the ground.
What a great marketing company. For a business who started off with products to "protect" small engines in lawnmowers and snow blowers, they certainly have you guys freaked out.
Oh well, good for them for fooling so many people as they are laughing all the way to the bank.
I don't think Stabil is needed for gasoline that is only going to sit for 4 months or so. Even 6 months and it will be fine. I've never added Stabil to any car I've stored for winter and have never had a problem. I just take it easy when I bring the car out of storage as I know the gas has lost a few octane points.
10-29-2014, 09:28 AM
I wish I could drive my car year round, but the salt and sand that they use on the roads starting in late November to combat the frost, snow, etc, is just so harmful to metal of any kind. That stuff they put on the highways is a brine mixture that is just nasty!
