storing car for winter

[Bulli Kid]

I think i will be storing my civic for the winter since in Chicago snow kills your car after a good 10 winters. im planing on keeping this car in great shape. Unfortunately i have never stored a car before so i don't know what i should do or how to maintain it. it will be in my garage. Any advice on a good winter beater?

[Si_Sedan_Fan]

I was thinking of storing my car for a couple of months. Jan & Feb suck in the north east. I have a 2nd car so it's no biggie. I was going to look into those self storage places. I'm pretty sure they have car sized storage units. I'm going to make a couple of calls and give you an update. You wont need to do much except start the car once a week or so. My luck Jan & Feb will be beautiful and we'll get 5 feet of snow in March.

[Si_Sedan_Fan]

1st self storage place I called quoted me 170 a month. Kinda of steep but it's climate controlled so my Si would be snug as a bug in a rug during the bad winter months. I may consider it.

[DNieves]

I think you want to:
-Use a fuel stabilizer (to prevent the gas from mucking up the tank).
-Fill the tank to the limit (minimize risk of an internally rusted gas tank).
-Over inflate the tires (so you don't get flat spots) -or just put it on jack stands.
-Detail the car then put a soft breathable car cover to keep it from getting dusty and dirty.
-Disconnect the battery (unless you're going to start the car every week)
-If it's not going to be turned on, cover the exhaust so critters can't make a nest out of your muffler.
-Leave some silica packs in the interior to absorb moisture (Home Depot has a big one).

[Rallyecivic]

Originally Posted by DNieves

I think you want to:
-Use a fuel stabilizer (to prevent the gas from mucking up the tank).
-Fill the tank to the limit (minimize risk of an internally rusted gas tank).
-Over inflate the tires (so you don't get flat spots) -or just put it on jack stands.
-Detail the car then put a soft breathable car cover to keep it from getting dusty and dirty.
-Disconnect the battery (unless you're going to start the car every week)
-If it's not going to be turned on, cover the exhaust so critters can't make a nest out of your muffler.
-Leave some silica packs in the interior to absorb moisture (Home Depot has a big one).

[Si_Sedan_Fan]

Got a better quote. 245 a month 2nd month free. So my 2 months would cost 122.50 a month. Not bad. I think I'm going to do it.

[dobiejoe]

it tells you what to do in the manual.

[anavrin351]

a good winter car is any cheap front wheel drive car. Go for a mid-early 90s civic, accord, ?jetta? something like that. Or a 4X4 toyota, nissan pickup. But remember 4x4 only helps you start going, it doesnt help control the car in any way shape or form once it is on the move.

Go buy some sta-bill fuel stabalizer, fill the tank, put fresh oil in it and park it in your garage. Since it will be in your garage you shouldnt worry about a cover, or flat tires. You can see the tires and how they are doing. Dont need to start the car once a week, just unplug the battery and dont worry about it. When you pull it out of storage, change the oil again so you have fresh oil, and check tire pressure.

I like the silica packs idea as well. I need to go buy some and put them in the car i am storing.

[2fast4u2]

upon searching the web, I stumbled upon this: http://www.fastcoolcars.com/storing_...lassic_car.htm

[achapman]

You should put it on a battery tender as well. I would move the car every month so you don't get flat spots in the tires.

[Si_Sedan_Fan]

I guess it depends how long your going to store it. For a couple of months you dont need to do all that. In most places in the US I think a couple of months is enough. Like I said before Jan & Feb are the months you have to worry about. Unless you live in way up north in the states bordering Canada I think 2 months is all you'll need.

[Uncle_Ruckus]

I'll be storing my 07 Si for the first time this winter, but I've been storing my cars for the last 5 years. I will be putting it away in my garage, jacking it up and sitting on stands. Removing all 4 wheels and tires for cleaning over winter, and washing / waxing before storage. Also, filling the tank and putting stabilizer in is a wicked suggestion from earlier in this thread. I also have a breathble cover for it. As for a winter beater....I purchased a 97 subaru legacy wagon a few years back, it has 280,000kms on it, and still runs like a charm....and put it this way, if it snows, I look forward to playing in it :)

[Tim620X]

I live in Central New York, so I am deff. going to be putting the Si away for the winter. Now it'll deff. be more than 2 months here, we usually get some crazy winters.

As of right now I have no garage to store it in, it would not fit in my garage so I was going to put it over @ my grandma's house in the back of her driveway with a cover on it. Now is it really necesary that I would have to put it up on jackstands? Not sure about the whole soft spot issue with the tires. Here's what I was going to do...

-Detail it before I put it away.
-Fill the tank and add fuel stabalizer.
-Not sure if I will disconnect the battery or not, I'll prob. start it every now and then.
-Find a descent cover to put on it.
-Cover the exhaust tip.

This is what I'm going to do unless someone with a garage will let me store it there. Any other suggestions?

[KingMarineM16a4]

Originally Posted by DNieves

I think you want to:
-Use a fuel stabilizer (to prevent the gas from mucking up the tank).
-Fill the tank to the limit (minimize risk of an internally rusted gas tank).
-Over inflate the tires (so you don't get flat spots) -or just put it on jack stands.
-Detail the car then put a soft breathable car cover to keep it from getting dusty and dirty.
-Disconnect the battery (unless you're going to start the car every week)
-If it's not going to be turned on, cover the exhaust so critters can't make a nest out of your muffler.
-Leave some silica packs in the interior to absorb moisture (Home Depot has a big one).

And to add I would start it every week, a weekend I supposed let it idle for about 10-15 minutes and then shut it off. If it is on jack stands and you don't get too stupid with it I would run it to about 20 miles an hour, turn the wheels to the left and right, etc. To keep your suspension componets, brakes, wheel bearings etc. warm.

Edit: With my SRT-4 I did go like 100 on jack stands, it was dangerous but very fun... I would suggest hard shifting or high rpm range but damn it was fun.

[07LX]

Originally Posted by DNieves

I think you want to:
-Use a fuel stabilizer (to prevent the gas from mucking up the tank).
-Fill the tank to the limit (minimize risk of an internally rusted gas tank).
-Over inflate the tires (so you don't get flat spots) -or just put it on jack stands.
-Detail the car then put a soft breathable car cover to keep it from getting dusty and dirty.
-Disconnect the battery (unless you're going to start the car every week)
-If it's not going to be turned on, cover the exhaust so critters can't make a nest out of your muffler.
-Leave some silica packs in the interior to absorb moisture (Home Depot has a big one).

Couldn't have said it better...+1 rep man.

[berlinas2k2]

Mine will be in hiding as well. The 94 accord will make an excellent daily driver.. :)

[Bulli Kid]

the car will be stored from mid December- to mid feb most likely. i will start it up when ever i want to so 1 time a week isnt no problem. however i will also drive it after i let it warm up to get everything working. plus turning on A/c will help prolong the life i heard.

[jthoske]

My wife's grandparents have been storing their cars for 5+ months a year for the past 30 years without any problems.

They are in a climate controlled garage, they disconnect the neg battery cable and put it on a battery tender. Their neighbor also gets the cars out and starts them once or twice of the period of 4-5 months. I dont think he drives them around.

They have a late 70s early 80s Lebaron that has 12k miles on it that looks, feels, and drives like brand new.

[dextor]

Originally Posted by Bulli Kid

I think i will be storing my civic for the winter since in Chicago snow kills your car after a good 10 winters. im planing on keeping this car in great shape. Unfortunately i have never stored a car before so i don't know what i should do or how to maintain it. it will be in my garage. Any advice on a good winter beater?

There's some info in the manual.

[Bulli Kid]

SO this is the plan i came up with that will work for me

i layed down plastic on the ground for a moisture barrier, then followed by some card boards, and carpets.
I plan to change the oil and filter before it goes into storage. aswell as wash and detail the car.
i will be putting in a fuel stabilizer
i will take out the battery and keep it at home charged by a automatic battery tender
i will add some sheets under wipers so they dont damage.
i will add some sila packs (spelling) to absorbe moisture from inside the car.
cover the car
I will start the car on the second week of every month so it warms up for about 10 minutes.
i will drive the car for about 30 minutes by the end of each month. (storing car for about 3-4 months.
will add more gas and stabilizer after i run the car so gas tank is still full.
when march comes i plan on taking it for another 30 minute drive and afterwards changing the oil and filter. Im guessing thats all.

Im not jacking up the car but since i am goign to move the car every month i should get any flat spots on my tires.

AM i missing anything or do i got it down?
anybody else store their cars?

ps. the reason i dont want to start the car often is because there will be wear in the engine since the head will be dry since oil dips down over a day or 2.
i plan on heating up the oil pan with a hair dryer before i even start it during the cold weather.

ps also i dont know if it is possible for our cylinder walls to rust so ill start it every 2 weeks. Just in case.