Storage advice for winter
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 47
Likes: 0
From: Southborough MA
Storage advice for winter
I live in New England and this will be my first winter with my new Vette. I've been able to make it through the summer without a garage of my own with a nice car cover. Winter's coming soon though. I'm curious what type of winter storage things I should know about...
I'm looking into storage units. Do I need to worry about climate control at all...or if it's not being driven at all is it okay to just be a normal type storage unit?
Anyone have experiences good/bad with renting someone's personal storage space (i.e. garage) for the winter. Do I need to worry about if a tree falls on it or a fire starts (homeowner's insurance or car insurance to cover that?).
Should I just take the battery out for the winter or use a trickle charger?
Thanks!
I'm looking into storage units. Do I need to worry about climate control at all...or if it's not being driven at all is it okay to just be a normal type storage unit?
Anyone have experiences good/bad with renting someone's personal storage space (i.e. garage) for the winter. Do I need to worry about if a tree falls on it or a fire starts (homeowner's insurance or car insurance to cover that?).
Should I just take the battery out for the winter or use a trickle charger?
Thanks!
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 57,408
Likes: 164
From: queensbury ny
I've had my VETTES inside and outside,covered and uncovered.I fill the tank,add stabil,put 45-50 psi in the tires cover it if its outside,hook up a battery tender if it's inside and leave it.I'll start it every so often because I miss driving it,but that's about it.Now,if you want to go nuts and pull plugs and batteries and all that,I'm sure someone will explain all that.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,757
Likes: 484
From: Portland Oregon
If you go the storage unit route, you don't need climate control. If you know it's going to sit the whole winter and not be driven, I would take the battery out, fill the tank (adding stabil right before filling up), and put the tires up to 40 lbs. If you plan on driving the car at least once a month during the winter (a good 45 minute to hour drive would do it good), you could skip the items listed above and just use the storage unit to keep it out of the nasty days.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 41,732
Likes: 1,718
From: Springfield MO
While in storage, it's wise to try and mouse proof the car. I use the dryer fabric softner sheets. Place them around in the engine compartment, and in the exhaust pipe tips. Also put them in the interior of the car but place them in an alumiumn pie pan. Don't place the sheets directly on the seats, dash, carpet, etc. as they will stain them.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,168
Likes: 50
From: Somerville New Jersey
I used to keep mine outside all winter under a all weather car cover, a few times it was buried so deep in snow that you didn't even know it was there (I'll post pictures when I get home) and I never once had a problem with the car due to sitting out in the winter.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 342
Likes: 0
From: Shrewsbury MA
I am also in New England.
What I do is:
1. Fill the tank and add StaBil
2. Clean her up real good.
3. Put away in the garage, unheated.
4. Attach the Battery Tender (not a trickle charger)
5. Cover the car to protect from dust.
I also take out the floor mats just in case there might be some moisture trapped under.
I do NOT change the oil until I take it out in the spring. I drive it less than 5K per year.
I do NOT add extra pressure to the tires. I DO check for the recommended 30lbs when I put her away.
Been doing this for 20 years with several cars and never had a problem.
What I do is:
1. Fill the tank and add StaBil
2. Clean her up real good.
3. Put away in the garage, unheated.
4. Attach the Battery Tender (not a trickle charger)
5. Cover the car to protect from dust.
I also take out the floor mats just in case there might be some moisture trapped under.
I do NOT change the oil until I take it out in the spring. I drive it less than 5K per year.
I do NOT add extra pressure to the tires. I DO check for the recommended 30lbs when I put her away.
Been doing this for 20 years with several cars and never had a problem.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 46,295
Likes: 2,596
From: Northern, VA
St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
All the above except not changing the oil before putting it up for the winter. Corrosive chems in oil, sitting there in pan and on engine parts, not the best way. But who can argue with experience?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 6,412
Likes: 1,295
From: Bluffton, SC
Mine's in an unheated garage all winter. Weather and road conditions permitting, I do try to get it out at least once a month.
I think the single most important thing you can do is to hook up your car to a good battery tender. In cold weather, it's unlikely your battery will last 30 days without going dead. I use a CTEK 3300 and know the car will start whenever I want it to.
I think the single most important thing you can do is to hook up your car to a good battery tender. In cold weather, it's unlikely your battery will last 30 days without going dead. I use a CTEK 3300 and know the car will start whenever I want it to.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 5,933
Likes: 13
From: The Beautiful Inland Empire WA.
Three things, four if you are in a mouse high population area:
1. Battery tender (a MUST!)
2. StaBil in the gas tank.
3. Cover the car......
4. Dryer sheets as described above
Do just these simple steps and you will be good to go.......I do start up my car once every week or two, turn on the oil temp on the dash and get the oil temp up to 200 or so. Usually takes about 20 minutes, holding the car at 1,500 to 2,000 RPM.........but you will get opinions all over the place on whether to leave it alone or to start it every once in a while.........
1. Battery tender (a MUST!)
2. StaBil in the gas tank.
3. Cover the car......
4. Dryer sheets as described above
Do just these simple steps and you will be good to go.......I do start up my car once every week or two, turn on the oil temp on the dash and get the oil temp up to 200 or so. Usually takes about 20 minutes, holding the car at 1,500 to 2,000 RPM.........but you will get opinions all over the place on whether to leave it alone or to start it every once in a while.........
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 3,661
Likes: 3
From: Live in S.Dayton, Work in Cincinnati Ohio
Huh!?! WTF??! WINTER!?! What are you saying!?! Say it isn’t so! It CAN’T be that time already! It’s only September! RECANT! RECANT you heretic! You’ll be charged with blasphemy! There is no winter, there is no winter... 
...you already got some good advice, so I went the silly route.
...you already got some good advice, so I went the silly route.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 937
Likes: 70
From: Ponte Vedra Florida
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,482
Likes: 0
From: Bridgewater Corners Vermont VT
I put mine up by changing the oil, fuel stabilizer, increase the air pressure to max on tire sidewall, disconnect battery. In the spring I take a jump box when putting back in service but since I started storing them over three years ago never a problem in starting.
The biggest problem I had was with rodents. Mice got into the heater ducts on my 05 by chewing through the plastic on the cowl intake. I had a heck of a time getting rid of the mouse urine odor but it's finally gone. Put fabric softener sheets along the cowl intake and remove the cabin air filter and wrap with dryer sheet also. Put moth ***** in aluminum pie pans and place under the car. Since doing this no more rodent problems.
The biggest problem I had was with rodents. Mice got into the heater ducts on my 05 by chewing through the plastic on the cowl intake. I had a heck of a time getting rid of the mouse urine odor but it's finally gone. Put fabric softener sheets along the cowl intake and remove the cabin air filter and wrap with dryer sheet also. Put moth ***** in aluminum pie pans and place under the car. Since doing this no more rodent problems.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 254
Likes: 0
From: Near The Bonneville Salt Flats Utah
I've had my VETTES inside and outside,covered and uncovered.I fill the tank,add stabil,put 45-50 psi in the tires cover it if its outside,hook up a battery tender if it's inside and leave it.I'll start it every so often because I miss driving it,but that's about it.Now,if you want to go nuts and pull plugs and batteries and all that,I'm sure someone will explain all that.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,391
Likes: 37
From: Iowa
Primarily to prevent flat spotting where the tire contact patch meets the floor. If you look at an underinflated tire the contact patch is fairly flat and at the extreme it is flat. By using a higher psi that contact patch becomes less flat and more 'rounded' (it is never exactly round). Some tires are more prone to this than others.
Another side benefit is that over time the tires will leak air thus if you lose some pressure there will still be enough in there to maintain the correct (or close to that) pressure.
There may be other benefits but these are two that are "talked about" most often.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,015
Likes: 0
From: Granby CT
I have left mine out the last three winters under a cover buried in the snow. I put stabilizer in the gas, hook up to a battery tender and that is it. I usually get oil change about this time in the fall so it isn't just before or after but for no good reason.
The first year I took it out every so often when I could but last year it just didn't move for months and was fine come spring.
The first year I took it out every so often when I could but last year it just didn't move for months and was fine come spring.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 8,514
Likes: 235
From: Currently somewhere in IL,IN,KY,TN,MO,AR,MS,AL, or FL
I've got a deal for you. Give me your address and I'll come pick it up and take it down south for the winter. 
Seriously, what others have said is good advice. Just be sure you read they are saying battery TENDER not battery charger. The tender is designed to be left on for months at a time and is needed whether or not you take the battery inside. A charger is designed for charging whether it is a fast charger or a trickle charger. Both will boil the electrolyte out of the battery if left on for prolonged periods.
Also, if you plan to run it during the winter, running for too short a time is worse than not running it at all. You have to get all the water out of the engine and exhaust before shutting it off. I used to run my C4 in Illinois until the oil was up to normal operating temperature and that wasn't enough. I still replaced the battery every 3 years and the exhaust system at 8 years.
Seriously, what others have said is good advice. Just be sure you read they are saying battery TENDER not battery charger. The tender is designed to be left on for months at a time and is needed whether or not you take the battery inside. A charger is designed for charging whether it is a fast charger or a trickle charger. Both will boil the electrolyte out of the battery if left on for prolonged periods.
Also, if you plan to run it during the winter, running for too short a time is worse than not running it at all. You have to get all the water out of the engine and exhaust before shutting it off. I used to run my C4 in Illinois until the oil was up to normal operating temperature and that wasn't enough. I still replaced the battery every 3 years and the exhaust system at 8 years.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 4,075
Likes: 6
From: Wilmington NC
Starting is not recommended unless you can bring it up to full temperature including the exhaust and oil temperature which is not possible unless you drive it or run it for a long time. You will build up condensation in the exhaust and oil pan.
