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Lots of good info and opinions on the best way to store for the winter. This is the first time I have ever stored a car so based on what I have read this is my plan. I should note that it will be kept in an unheated garage with a concrete floor...
-Bottle of Techron then full tank of gas
-Oil to be changed in the spring
-Washed
-Wheels cleaned
-Vacuum and dust down interior
-Dryer sheets in interior
-Damp-Rid in interior
-Dryer sheets and mothballs in engine compartment
-Dryer sheets stuffed in exhaust, then wrap the exhaust tips with another sheet and use a rubber band to hold it on
-Overinflate tires up to 40 psi
-Park on plastic painters tarp with carpet squares
-Lay down critter traps and D-Con around perimeter of car
-Remove battery and store in basement on 2x4's
-Put on car cover
-Sing a lullabye
-Cry myself to sleep since it will be five LONG months before I take it out due to the wonderful winters here in Michigan
Sound like a plan? Overkill?
Honestly, the mice are what I am worried about the most...
Mice did $4000 in damages to our brand new 07 FJ Cruiser back in 07...
I used this after two wiring harness replacements at the dealership...
they ordered the wrong one the first time...
I personally think leaving the battery in and a tender connected is a better way to go. I have also read lots of threads like this over the years and haven't heard of any tire flat spotting...
I do think the carpet padding is overkill, but would certainly bring the pressure up a bit.
Lots of good info and opinions on the best way to store for the winter. This is the first time I have ever stored a car so based on what I have read this is my plan. I should note that it will be kept in an unheated garage with a concrete floor...
-Bottle of Techron then full tank of gas
-Oil to be changed in the spring
-Washed
-Wheels cleaned
-Vacuum and dust down interior
-Dryer sheets in interior
-Damp-Rid in interior
-Dryer sheets and mothballs in engine compartment
-Dryer sheets stuffed in exhaust, then wrap the exhaust tips with another sheet and use a rubber band to hold it on
-Overinflate tires up to 40 psi
-Park on plastic painters tarp with carpet squares
-Lay down critter traps and D-Con around perimeter of car
-Remove battery and store in basement on 2x4's
-Put on car cover
-Sing a lullabye
-Cry myself to sleep since it will be five LONG months before I take it out due to the wonderful winters here in Michigan
Sound like a plan? Overkill?
Honestly, the mice are what I am worried about the most...
I do pretty much the same thing. Got it half done now, hoping for that one last ride, before I finish off the list.
Lots of good info and opinions on the best way to store for the winter. This is the first time I have ever stored a car so based on what I have read this is my plan. I should note that it will be kept in an unheated garage with a concrete floor...
-Bottle of Techron then full tank of gas
-Oil to be changed in the spring
-Washed
-Wheels cleaned
-Vacuum and dust down interior
-Dryer sheets in interior
-Damp-Rid in interior
-Dryer sheets and mothballs in engine compartment
-Dryer sheets stuffed in exhaust, then wrap the exhaust tips with another sheet and use a rubber band to hold it on
-Overinflate tires up to 40 psi
-Park on plastic painters tarp with carpet squares
-Lay down critter traps and D-Con around perimeter of car
-Remove battery and store in basement on 2x4's
-Put on car cover
-Sing a lullabye
-Cry myself to sleep since it will be five LONG months before I take it out due to the wonderful winters here in Michigan
Sound like a plan? Overkill?
Honestly, the mice are what I am worried about the most...
My ritual is pretty much the same as yours. Check your coolant. This year I am going to put a tender on the battery in the basement. Never did it before.
Mice are a big concern I have been a victim of their damage.
I personally think leaving the battery in and a tender connected is a better way to go. I have also read lots of threads like this over the years and haven't heard of any tire flat spotting...
I do think the carpet padding is overkill, but would certainly bring the pressure up a bit.
I disagree. The safest place for the battery is not in the car and I have experienced flatspotting.
I personally think leaving the battery in and a tender connected is a better way to go.
For my information, what actually is the benefit of leaving it in and having a tender?
The GM Owners Manual says: "If you’re not going to drive your vehicle for 25 days or more, remove the black, negative (-) cable from
the battery. This will help keep your battery from running down." Since it gets so cold here I was thinking it would be better to take the battery out and put it in the basement.
Is there something about leaving the positive terminal connected that keeps the electronics in check?
I'm a little concerned about lifting the hood, putting a tender on, and then putting a cover on the whole car.
Mice did $4000 in damages to our brand new 07 FJ Cruiser back in 07...
I used this after two wiring harness replacements at the dealership...
they ordered the wrong one the first time...
Haven't had issues since...
Might work on the wife too.. just sayin.
Where do you spray it? On the plug wires themselves? On the WIFE herself?!?
For my information, what actually is the benefit of leaving it in and having a tender?
The GM Owners Manual says: "If you’re not going to drive your vehicle for 25 days or more, remove the black, negative (-) cable from
the battery. This will help keep your battery from running down." Since it gets so cold here I was thinking it would be better to take the battery out and put it in the basement.
Is there something about leaving the positive terminal connected that keeps the electronics in check?
I'm a little concerned about lifting the hood, putting a tender on, and then putting a cover on the whole car.
I have always taken the battery out for long term storage. Fewer bad things can happen. In the spring my C5 fired right up and I didn't lose anything.. even the radio presets.
A house down the street burned down a few years ago. The cause was determined to be a trickle charger hooked to a car he was storing in his garage.
Lots of good info and opinions on the best way to store for the winter. This is the first time I have ever stored a car so based on what I have read this is my plan. I should note that it will be kept in an unheated garage with a concrete floor...
-Bottle of Techron then full tank of gas
-Oil to be changed in the spring
-Washed
-Wheels cleaned
-Vacuum and dust down interior
-Dryer sheets in interior
-Damp-Rid in interior
-Dryer sheets and mothballs in engine compartment
-Dryer sheets stuffed in exhaust, then wrap the exhaust tips with another sheet and use a rubber band to hold it on
-Overinflate tires up to 40 psi
-Park on plastic painters tarp with carpet squares
-Lay down critter traps and D-Con around perimeter of car
-Remove battery and store in basement on 2x4's
-Put on car cover
-Sing a lullabye
-Cry myself to sleep since it will be five LONG months before I take it out due to the wonderful winters here in Michigan
Sound like a plan? Overkill?
Honestly, the mice are what I am worried about the most...
Wow, that is serious overkill IMO. If you were parking it in some old wooden barn with dirt floors I could understand your list. I've had mine 3 years now and the only thing I do is fill the tank, add stabil, change the oil and put the battery tender on it. That's it. This is in an attached 2 car garage, insulated walls and it stays above freezing. Sounds like you are winterizing a $1mil original 427 a/c cobra or something. I love my car too but it's just a c5, don't get too carried away with it all.
Wow, that is serious overkill IMO. If you were parking it in some old wooden barn with dirt floors I could understand your list. I've had mine 3 years now and the only thing I do is fill the tank, add stabil, change the oil and put the battery tender on it. That's it. This is in an attached 2 car garage, insulated walls and it stays above freezing. Sounds like you are winterizing a $1mil original 427 a/c cobra or something. I love my car too but it's just a c5, don't get too carried away with it all.
LOL. Better to take the simple precautions to make your car last longer and save money. It doesn't matter what car it is, precautions should be taken for long term storage. I hope mice don't eat your wiring. That will be really expensive.
Wow, that is serious overkill IMO. If you were parking it in some old wooden barn with dirt floors I could understand your list. I've had mine 3 years now and the only thing I do is fill the tank, add stabil, change the oil and put the battery tender on it. That's it. This is in an attached 2 car garage, insulated walls and it stays above freezing. Sounds like you are winterizing a $1mil original 427 a/c cobra or something. I love my car too but it's just a c5, don't get too carried away with it all.
I don't disagree...that's why I'm throwing that out there...
Like I said, the biggest issue I have is with mice. I live in the country and my garage isn't sealed up like Fort Knox. I have a friend that had a mint '84 and the headliner got chewed all to heck due to mice...so I'm a bit paranoid about the critters getting in.
Walls are not insulated in my garage, either. The carpet squares may be a bit much though...
The only reason I say park it on a plastic tarp is because I have read about vapor transfer from the concrete floor. Is that just a bunch of BS?
I don't disagree...that's why I'm throwing that out there...
Like I said, the biggest issue I have is with mice. I live in the country and my garage isn't sealed up like Fort Knox. I have a friend that had a mint '84 and the headliner got chewed all to heck due to mice...so I'm a bit paranoid about the critters getting in.
Walls are not insulated in my garage, either. The carpet may be a bit much though...
The only reason I say park it on a plastic tarp is because I have read about vapor transfer from the concrete floor. Is that just a bunch of BS?
A vapor barrier is a good idea. My buddies and I have been storing cars over the winter for 45 years and have learned that the more things you do to prevent bad things from happening, the better the car makes it through the winter. From chewed up wiring, flatspotting tires, frozen batteries, cracking vinyl, rusted components, corrosion to cracked blocks. I have seen it all.
I don't disagree...that's why I'm throwing that out there...
Like I said, the biggest issue I have is with mice. I live in the country and my garage isn't sealed up like Fort Knox. I have a friend that had a mint '84 and the headliner got chewed all to heck due to mice...so I'm a bit paranoid about the critters getting in.
Walls are not insulated in my garage, either. The carpet squares may be a bit much though...
The only reason I say park it on a plastic tarp is because I have read about vapor transfer from the concrete floor. Is that just a bunch of BS?
I guess it depends on the condition of your garage. If you have a real rodent problem some of the items on up your list make more sense. My garage is sealed pretty tight and don't have a rodent problem, that's why your precautions seemed a bit much to me. The first two winters I had mine I really didn't even winterized it at all. It was fairly mild here and I drove it at least 1-2x a month those winters. Last years brutal winter was the first time it sat for 3 months or so. Hoping we get another mild winter here in the NE.
From: Gurnee IL. so close to Wisc. I can smell it when they cut the cheese
You seem to have everything and them some covered. I would recommend changing the oil and filter before storage and not in the spring. The combination of combustion byproducts and condensation can turn oil acidic eating into bearing surfaces and cylinder walls. Many people say they always change in the spring with no problems I say why chance it.
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Yet another winter storage thread
