Good morning everyone in corvette land. I is about that time my corvette settled for a winters nap. I am closing in on my first year of ownership of my 2023. I picked up my C8 from the dealership mid-November of last year. Drove it to my garage and parked the car and not waking it until mid-March. All I did to the car was top off the tank, connected the trickle charger and occasionally started the car and move the car back forth in the garage. I did not put the car cover on the car that first winter. I had heard the paint needed to cure for at least 60 days. If it matters I live in Missouri between St. Louis and KC. Also the garage is very well insulated. The temperature never drops below 40 degrees f.

I am reaching out to the corvette forum for tips and steps fo what our members do in this case. Thank you in advance for everyone’s assistance.

 

I’m sure you’ll find lots of opinions here…
but I think my will be to resist the starting and moving only short distances.

I would not start it till March.

 

I kind of feel for you folks that have to park your cars for the winter. As screwed up politically California is, there are many winter days that we can drive our cars. Pretty mild here, and a ride to the coast or through the redwoods is a treat. Four months sitting parked would kill me.

 

 

Unless you're getting the engine up to temp not a good idea of starting the car. Moisture in exhaust system and oil. Also, the paint is "cured" for all practical purposes when it leaves the factory. Trickle charge as you do and let her sleep till spring. I do the same except I'll put my MY23 up in the air on my quickjack with the wheels off (primarily for mice (I put traps in the garage as well). I'm in Mass.

 

Now I am super ****, but it gives me peace of mind:

• Wash Vette
• Fill tank up 75% - Add Stabil
• Clean all leather surfaces and condition the seats (super important step)
• Use a rubber protectant on all weather stripping
• Add 5 lbs. of pressure to all tires (I actually put anti-fatigue mats under each tire)
• Wrap your exhaust tips with dryer sheets using rubber bands (blocks creatures from entering)
• Connect to Battery Tender
• Cover with soft (breathable) cover
• Cry until April...

Also - do NOT periodically start your Vette throughout the winter - it offers ZERO benefit. Go through these steps to winterize and don't touch it until April.

 

Thanks for rubbing it in Tadda.....

 

I took a drive across town and sat at car show in shorts today in Phoenix....a little cool at 79F though.

 

I paid a lot for the Corvette, so I drive it as much as possible. We live in the Midwest, so we have some very cold winter days. I’ve taken it out on as low as 8° above zero and I have had a lot of fun driving it all yr long. I don’t understand why people put in the garage for the whole winter and don’t drive it till it gets warm. The car is meant to be driven having fun and I drive it all year long.

 

Unless you live somewhere where there is snow on the ground and the roads aren't clear for 2 or 3 weeks, I would drive it as often as possible. I actually got caught in the rain coming home from the museum and much to my amazement the car was just fine the next day when I washed it.

 

I use to be one to make sure everything was set for winter hibernation. I live in NW Indiana and, as of late, we have gotten little snow over the past couple years. If the roads are clear, I plan on driving it throughout the winter on those nice sunny days.

OP, if it never drops below 40, why put it a way? Drive the darn thing.

 

I believe this was in reference to his garage temps. It certainly gets below 40 in central MO.

 

My take on this is for some this is a one and done dream car and is a keeper. I don't blame them! I never in my wildest dreams thought I'd own a corvette, not on the radar. You hear stories I feel in love at first site and said someday? I never thought it would happen so was not a target. We were comfortable but with 3 kids and a stay at home wife, we had a caprice station wagon!

My first corvette was a c5. Had it 13 years. It never saw much rain. Winter? I jacked it up and washed the underside.

I had a winter beater. I thought I was living the dream, sports car for weekends, beater that was fun to drive wo worries.

Then I got Corvette #2 and saw that #3 was not too far off. I found snow tires work well in Ohio in minimal snow. Drove 3 corvettes to work most every day. I knew I was blessed to be able to flip them so no garage queens for me. I went from the luxury of a back up car to driving what I wanted everyday cause God opened some doors for me and I had the courage to walk through them. That was a luxury, sort of a disposable corvette.


Back to point, sorry, I always worried about critters. I out mothballs in the engine compartment and checked the interior regularly. Walking by the car with the cover off or pulling it off was like a fine women in a negligee.

Agree not to start it. I had a harley I did that to one winter, adjusted the idle up and came out to find the pipes had blued!

These cars are a blast to drive in the cold dense air. I'd hit the freeway at 6AM....... little traffic....... Corsa extremes, xpipe and headers......... they heard me.

 

I would not start the car up unless you can drive it for a few miles and get all the fluids up to temp and circulating.

Keep the battery hooked to a battery maintainer when not being driven.

Paint does not need to cure - the cover can go on right away.

Either put out some baited mouse traps or use things like dryer sheets/mothballs to keep critters away from the car.

Add a few PSI to the tires and consider putting some old carpet squares under the tires to keep them off the cold concrete.

I put some Sta-BIL in the gas tank along with some Techron.

I change the oil and filter just as I put the car in storage.

 

I live at 7600 feet in CO. I will swap in AS tires and drive it all year in reasonable weather.

 

I plan to keep the battery charger on three days, off three days.
Leather conditioner, Rubber conditioner, a coat of wax.

If the sun is out (rare in Oregon) the roads are dry, and it is above freezing, I am going for a drive.
I agree with others here, starting the car is not a good idea. You need to drive it to get up to temperature to boil out all of the condensation.
Sitting for the entire winter is not good. If you drive, everything gets up to temp, and all of the rubber seals in the motor get lubrication.

 

Live in PA. I put my A/S tire set on last week and will drive it year round in good weather. Drive it while you can, or someday someone else will.

 

l’m at 7400’ elevation but get my Toyota GR Corolla in January. That car and a 1.0 Ecoboost Focus will pull Winter duty while the C8 hibernates.

 

Since it hasn't been mentioned, the reason to park a car for the winter is because of the newer road salts used. The brine on the road creeps into everything. We used to get a break, now even on a sunny day they come out and pre treat the bridges and underpasses with that crap. Rock salt pretty much bounced off your car. Brine sticks

 

You should still have a couple of weeks of driving left then clean it up, put the trickle charger on it and cover it. As far as the gas tank you will hear both the fill the tank die hards as well as the run it low contingent. I am definitely one of those two! Lol. I’ve read where the paint and clear coats they use these days don’t need to cure like the paint from the old days. We still need to get together sometime! Sam