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Possible Move North

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Old Aug 15, 2017 | 09:38 AM
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Default Possible Move North

There is a possibility we will be moving to Sioux Falls, my wife's home. I know, crazy. Anyway, living in Florida I have never had the concern about garaging my car for the winter. Anybody have a checklist or what they do to winterize their Corvette?
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Old Aug 15, 2017 | 11:01 AM
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In about two months several new threads regarding this annual ritual will be started.
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Old Aug 15, 2017 | 11:07 AM
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get spot for car close to an electrical socket.
change oil
fill tank with gas
put air pressure in tires to 40 psi to prevent flat spotting
clean car
plug in battery maintainer
cover car

That's what I do and never a problem.

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Old Aug 15, 2017 | 11:25 AM
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Do you have to deal with a gas stabilizer?
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Old Aug 15, 2017 | 11:29 AM
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No, I never use gas stabilizer. Stored car 9 years and usually the duration is for 5 months.

There may be other's on the forum that do use stabilizer.

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Old Aug 15, 2017 | 11:36 AM
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Radial tires don't flat spot.

I live in western CO and don't store mine. There are enough sunny days with dry roads that there's no need to store it.
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Old Aug 15, 2017 | 11:36 AM
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In my opinion most people over do winter prep. I have been winter storing toy cars for about 40 years. I have filled the fuel tank, washed the car and put the battery on a maintainer. That's it, I have never had an issue.

In the Spring, I check tire pressure and wash the winter dust off and then go for a drive.

Originally Posted by Deftly
There is a possibility we will be moving to Sioux Falls, my wife's home. I know, crazy. Anyway, living in Florida I have never had the concern about garaging my car for the winter. Anybody have a checklist or what they do to winterize their Corvette?
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Old Aug 15, 2017 | 11:50 AM
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Originally Posted by Markss
In about two months several new threads regarding this annual ritual will be started.
...and you'll get a small number of us saying you should get the proper tires and drive year round
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Old Aug 15, 2017 | 11:55 AM
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There is a new recommendation on the gas tank when storing to fill only 1/4. The reason for only storing with 1/4 tank of gas has to do with the location of the fuel sending unit. In the C7, the fuel sending units are half way up inside each of the two tanks. Sulfur in the gasoline can coat the fuel level sensors, causing the fuel gauge to become inoperative. The reason that this does not happen when you are regularly driving the car is that movement of the gas in the tanks keeps the contacts clear.
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Old Aug 15, 2017 | 12:11 PM
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Good point on the 1/4 tank fill. That's what I do in addition to adding the proper amount of fuel stabilizer.
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Old Aug 15, 2017 | 12:19 PM
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I think it is more damaging to let cars sit for months at a time than it is to occasionally run them on a sunny day. I am a big fan of letting the oil heat up and keeping parts lubricated. There should be enough sunny and snowless days to take the car out occasionally.

I usually avoid driving when there is snow/salt on the ground and I do get the car hand washed throughout the winter and under body sprayed. No signs of rust on my cars.
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Old Aug 15, 2017 | 12:59 PM
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I'm from Saskatchewan. I'd assume the climate is kinda similar, which means your car comes out in maybe late April and goes back into storage in October or so. You'll get plenty of advice on how to -store- the car, the harder one is "How do you make payments for 7 months a year while the car is in storage!"

The only good news is that every spring, getting the car out is like getting a new car. So you get the visceral thrill of a new car every spring!
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Old Aug 15, 2017 | 01:49 PM
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And this thread has become the first winter storage thread of this summer!

Add in:

Dryer sheets under the hood and in the wheel wells and steel wool in the exhaust to keep out rodents

Baking soda and dessicants to absorb and smell/moisture

The obligatory cover and why not to cover subthreads

Reducing/eliminating insurance coverages while stored

Putting XM on hold (which they would not do for me)

and I'm sure there are several I'm missing...

And now I'm depressed at the thought of having to put my Vette away again in a couple of months...

Thanks OP and good luck with your move!
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Old Aug 15, 2017 | 02:53 PM
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I got depressed just reading this and looking at the list of reasons add up as to why I moved to Florida. Here's another one.

No shoveling sunshine.
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Old Aug 15, 2017 | 03:44 PM
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I'm in Florida now (hot) but will be going back to NJ later this week. In 2014 I made the decision to get out of NJ during the winter because I couldn't take it anymore. I agree with Mike Campbell about winters in the north. When the snow starts, you'll become nostalgic for Ft. Meyers.
NEVER AGAIN!!



Last edited by lavla; Aug 15, 2017 at 03:46 PM.
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Old Aug 15, 2017 | 03:59 PM
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Don't be a wimp. SD is not North. MN, now THAT is north!


PS: My C7 is the first car I have had that was wintered thru the salt/snow season. Kind of annoying actually. General consensus seem to e something like this: add some Stabil, inflate the tires to 35 rather than 30, remember a battery conditioner, and add a dust cover. Trying to get my wife interested in a move to Florida, but not looking promising . . .
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Old Aug 15, 2017 | 04:02 PM
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I grew up in Florida and have lived all over including Minnesota for 7 years and now New England. Minnesota winters can be tough for a couple of months, but the spring, summer, and fall seasons are so nice. It's 78 degrees here today and 95 degrees where I lived in Florida.

No thanks. I will put up with a couple months of snow but then enjoy the spring, summer weather.
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Old Aug 15, 2017 | 05:36 PM
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Default move

Originally Posted by Deftly
There is a possibility we will be moving to Sioux Falls, my wife's home. I know, crazy. Anyway, living in Florida I have never had the concern about garaging my car for the winter. Anybody have a checklist or what they do to winterize their Corvette?
There is a great Corvette Club there.
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Old Aug 15, 2017 | 09:03 PM
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Originally Posted by Steve_R
Radial tires don't flat spot.

I live in western CO and don't store mine. There are enough sunny days with dry roads that there's no need to store it.
Exactly ..........
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Old Aug 15, 2017 | 09:06 PM
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Originally Posted by Mike Campbell
I got depressed just reading this and looking at the list of reasons add up as to why I moved to Florida. Here's another one.

No shoveling sunshine.
I do not miss Chicago winters. If I want winter, I drive up to Telluride and stay with my daughter.
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