SomethingNew2000

Hi everybody! First post here I bought my first Corvette about 3 months ago. Grand Sport 2017. I'm in New Jersey, it's gonna start getting cold here soon. I read the tires can't take anything under 40 degrees. Is that just for driving? Will they be okay sitting on the car with my car in the garage when it gets down to single digits? My garage is not heated. Or do I need to take the tires off and bring them inside?? Confused.

Thanks,
Joe

MacMulkin

There's an excellent in-depth article over at the Corvette Action Center on long term / winter Corvette storage:

http://www.CorvetteActionCenter.com/...e/storage.html

JerryU

FWIW, I drive my car down to 35F, have driven at 30 and others lower. You just don't have much traction until the tires warm from driving. I mostly drive when it's above 40 and put the car in Weather Mode until I drive about 5 miles and the tires warm when it is that cold.

Reports of tire cracking are very few and those are all below 20 F. To be safe, if in the single digits you should remove them and put in the basement.

CT Grand Sport CE

The article is a bit outdated as far as the recommendation to top off the tank before putting the car away. The recommended procedure for the C7 is to store it with a 1/4 tank or less to prevent deposits forming on the fuel sending unit.

Maxie2U

With all due respect where is your source for that 1/4 tank info? EVERY article I have ever read says to FILL THE TANK in order to avoid condensation. And if storing long than three months adds stable gas treatment to the gas before storing.

Not sure way a C7 would be different?

Another storage tip is to overinflated the tires to reduce risk of flat spotting.

Silver C7

Or you can get some tires to get you through the winter and keep driving.

BobFic

I also would like others input about the tires ( pull or don't pull from car).Thanks...I may be purchasing a heater.

Silver C7

Michelin has yet to make all season tires in GS sizes, but there are others on the market. Unless you're tracking your car, the performance on the street is negligible. You'll be safer and still more able than just about everyone else on the road.

Waiting for jack pucks now. Also gotta get a low profile floor jack, the one for the Caddy & Explorer are too high, with pucks it won't fit. I have two sets of tires and wheels, so I'll swap in November. If you don't have that second set, now is a good time to start shopping. You can get all the stuff to do your own swap for the spring/summer.

Good luck with whatever decision you make...just make sure your enjoyment lasts as long as possible.

Boiler_81

I have done nothing special on my Z51 the last two years. I just wash the car and then pull it into the garage and plug the battery maintainer into it. In the spring I unplug it and check the tire pressure and add air as necessary. That's it. I have had no issues with gasoline or flat spotted tires.

You will get all kinds of advice on special procedures for storage. I'm sure none of them will hurt but in my experience of storing toy cars over the last 35 years, nothing more than the above is needed.

CT Grand Sport CE

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ge-advice.html

See posts 6 & 28.

I also have my car serviced by Paul Koerner (http://www.jacksonchevrolet.com/Z06) who is mentioned as the source. He does seminars at the NCM, Carlisle and around the country. This past weekend he had an owner seminar at the dealership that he works at and reiterated storing the C7 with 1/4 tank or less with Stabil for the winter due to deposits forming on the sending unit. He also mentioned that it is 22hrs of labor to drop the tank and clean/replace the sending unit. I want to say that when I was at Spring Mountain in August and we were going over the car in the garage that someone asked about storing the car and they mentioned the 1/4 tank, but I am not 100% sure on that.

You will see others in the thread I linked question why is it ok to fill your tank above 1/4 all year except when storing? Because when you are driving regularly or semi-regularly the fuel is sloshing and not sitting on the sensors.

Also, the capless fuel system on the C7 is supposedly better sealed than one with a standard fuel cap so moisture is not supposed to be an issue? The main reason for topping off before storage.

I'm just trying to help and pass on info I have been told from a Corvette world class mechanic. It is your car, but I see no harm and it seems to make sense. I don't feel like paying $2200 to drop the tank. Or whatever labor rates these days?

Patman

It's always sad when it gets to that time of year talking about winter storage, that means cold weather and snow is just around the corner! (doesn't feel like fall here yet though, the temps are still in the 70-80 degree range here.

I have also heard that storing with 1/4 tank is best for the C5, C6 and C7 although I haven't run into problems in the past when I stored my C5 and C6 with full tanks. Although I also haven't gone the entire winter without driving them at least every few weeks, to that helps immensely I'm sure.

cspnboy

Not true! Michelin Alpin pa4 comes in GS and Z06 sizes. Michelin stock #71621 for the fronts and stock #06609 for the rears. Hearing some Forum users had them bought and installed for ~$1300 at Discount Tire.

Steve_R

That hasn’t been needed since radial tires replaced bias ply tires a long, long time ago.

Glennm27

All you need to do is park it in your garage with a battery tender and bring it out in the Spring. Tires will be just fine.

Thunder80

Michelin Alpin pa4 - I ordered mine, front are in the store, rear need to be made. I hope to have soon. Tire store said I would be ready for winter. I plan to drive a little, but no snow on the road. The $1300. , I believe is for just two. I got 4, but paid about twice.

LIStingray

You keep your Corvette in an unheated garage - how could you
NJ, like LI, NY where I am is borderline for winter use - some years we get some nice days in January to March where the roads are salt free and it is above 40 degrees, while other years it doesn't happen. I just let mine sit in the garage unused from 12/31 to 3/15.
Imo, the four necessary things to do to store your car properly are:
1) change the oil and filter; 2) keep gas tank at 1/8-1/4 with Stabil; 3) inflate tires to 35 psi (since the will drop as the temp goes down); 4) use a battery tender/charger (I have the Ctek 4300).
I also wash, wax and cover my car - but those are just for cosmetic preservation.

tgibrit

I live close to NJ and with our weather this is all I do, recent winters have been mild, so plenty of opportunities to take the car out. Inflate tires to correct pressures when the temperatures drop. I then change all the fluids in the spring for the track season.

Silver C7

From what I understand the Alpin is a snow as opposed to all season tire. But if it allows safe operation in cold tempatures and lets you get more seasons of enjoyment, go for it!

Monkey D. Luffy

In my case I just don't drive it the one day a year it snows here

Foosh

The Alpin is a snow tire, but is also an excellent choice for use on cold pavement. I prefer the AS3+ UHP all season, but it is not yet available in GS/Z06 sizes. If I had one, I'd purchase the Alpins in a nanosecond.

I won't own a vehicle that can't be driven year-round.