Hi all,
Hope you all had as productive a summer ripping up the backroads as I have. This will be my first winter with the car. I was hoping to pick your brains regarding storage.
1) Are there specific merits to storing the car in a heated garage versus unheated?
2) I am changing the oil and putting a full tank of gas in the car before storing it for 5 months. Besides using a trickle charger and a good cover, is there anything else I should be considering before storing the car for the winter?
3) Questions I need to be asking the storage provider?
4) Are tire flat spots a real concern?
5) I've been told to open up a bag of charcoal briquets to keep in the trunk to absorb moisture. Has anyone heard of this?

Your input is greatly appreciated.

Cheers,
richled

 

I have been "Winter Storing" my cars for over 25 years now. When I first started I did not have a heated garage. SO I purchased a "Car Bubble" One that you park your car on, zip it up, turn on a little fan that inflates the bubble. I felt this kept animals (mice) from getting to the car but also kept air moving so no condensation could build up under the car. I also laid a plastic sheet down then put cardboard down on top of it. I then set the bubble on top of it. ( I know it was overkill !)
Now I have a "Heated" garage with a dehumidifier. I keep the temperature at 58 degrees. Again I laid down a plastic sheet, then put outdoor carpeting over top of that. After cleaning & waxing and making sure the gas tank is full, I put on my car cover, gas stabilizer in the tank, pump all the tires to 45 lbs, connect my battery tender, and then for extra protection a put a mouse trap or two near the outside of the car. Have never had any trap upset but I feel better. I would not recommend moth ***** or anything else on the inside of the car. You'll smell it forever! Good Luck

 

Not sure I would fill up the tank with gas just to sit. If you do, you need to add a fuel stabilizer (even if you just have a little fuel, you will need to do this). And just air up the tires to 45-50 PSI as suggested...Or park it on something softer than concrete, like a foam pad, or both. Definitely watch for mice...they will destroy wiring.

And a trickle charger/battery maintainer is a must.

DC

 

I've followed the following procedure when storing cars/motorcycles in my unheated garage for 20+ years and never had any issues come spring after 5-6 months of storage:
Give it a wash
Change the oil if you can
Top off the tank with ethanol-free premium fuel (if you can find it near you) and add fuel stabilizer
Inflate the tires to ~45 psi
Use a quality battery maintainer
Cover it
Don't touch it or start it until you're ready to bring it out in spring

If you inflate the tires up I wouldn't worry too much about flat spots if it's only sitting 5 months, I've personally never had modern radial tires flat spot from sitting 5-6 months. Some people will tell you to leave the windows cracked a bit too but I've never done it. As for doing anything for mice, setting a mouse trap or two and plugging the tailpipes won't hurt anything. Probably more possibilities for mice to make your car a home if it's stored offsite or in an area that isn't frequented much during storage.

 

You want to fill up the tank to minimize air volume at the top of the tank. Air = humidity. Less air, less humidity.

Yes, adding fuel stabilizer is a good idea. It is also a good idea to use ethanol-free fuel. I don't know about NS, but where I live Shell 91 is ethanol free.

Heated is better, as there is no issue with freezing. Heated also means potential critters. I would put dryer sheets (or even better mothballs) on top of wheels and inside the car. Critters don't like smell and won't make a nest in your engine bay.

I don't bother with trickle-charging, just disconnect +ve terminal, wrap it in a rubber glove (to make sure it doesn't snap back onto terminal) and leave it there. Careful to make sure not to close the trunk, I tape a cardboard over it to make sure it can't close.

Flat spots are not a concern, there will be some when you get back and they will work out in 100 km of driving. I do add +5PSI for each tire to minimize this.

Make sure your car cover is breathable, the last thing you want is to have it trap humidity.

 

have it detailed Mid-November, park it on tire cradles, plug in the battery tender, cover it, set garage temp to 56, and wait for the snow to melt !!!

 

Not to be a wisea$$—there are others here who maintain that mantle with pride and joy—but here is my solution to winter storage:

 

I'd change the oil in the spring if you don't have a constant storage temperature.

 

Heated Garage, use the sticky pads instead of traps as they catch the insect too. and all of the above. I keep my tank as low as possible with stabilizer, then in spring fill up. Use an ethanol free fuel....https://www.pure-gas.org/


All Canada: Shell V-Power 91, Canadian Tire 91, Esso 91
Atlantic Canada: Irving Fuels premium
Western Canada: CO-OP premium
Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island: all unleaded gas
Ontario: Costco 91
British Columbia: Chevron 94

 

Luckily Kansas city winters have enough gap time between snows i cant ever recall not being able to drive it at least once a week.. some years we get very little snow.

 

I feel sorry for you mob in the northern USA, Canada, Europe etc.
I have never needed to vaguely consider the possibility of not driving let alone storing my car in/for winter, such a thing is unheard of here in Adelaide.
As I have said many times before I have never seen falling snow in my entire life, 65+ years now!

 

Indiana is kind of the same - there are usually enough dry days to get it out a couple times a month and run it to lubricate the seals etc and get some gas through it. I also use those times to wash my others; especially if I've used them in the snow. I have hot and cold water connected to my water softener which makes winter washing manageable. My garage is also heated and I usually put some extra air in the tires and I regularly run fuel system cleaner and of course always do a detail in the spring and one in the fall, but I am struggling with the mouse trap recommendations - do you all get a lot of mice and critters in your garages?

 

Here in southern England I've never seen fires burning out of control - 70 years now. I guess we all have our crosses to bear ...