I want to store the VDP for 3 months in an unheated garage. What steps should I do?

Should I change the oil before or after?

Do I need something under the tires?

Do I unplug the battery?

 

I have stored my mustang every winter (about 5 months a year) and I have only parked the car in the garage. The only problem I have seen in 10 years is not keeping the battery charged. Most newer cars have computers that draw current even when not running. A battery will discharge by itself if left too long. I now keep a battery tender on it if I know it will be in storage longer than a month. Most people will say you should change the oil before storage because old oil becomes acidic. Keep the tire preasure up or even a couple pounds higher. The preasure will go down when the temp gets colder. A big misconception is some people say to start the vehicle once a month to keep parts lubercated. You don't want to do this because the tempurature change from inside the engine to outside the engine will cause moisture to form inside. You need to than run the engine long enough to evaporate the water. Just my $.02

 

For 90 days I wouldn't do much of anything. Start it and run it for 5 or 10 minutes every 7 to 10 days if you can arrange it. If you can run it around the block on good days just to change the at rest position of the tires you will avoid temporary flat spots. If that's not possible and you are real picky, jack up all four corners to get the weight off the tires/suspension. I presume this is Winter storage you are contemplating.

If it were mine, I would not disconnect the batt. or jack up the car or change the oil for a 90 day storage situation. Anything longer and you may want to take more extensive measures.

 

I won't be able to do anything but just park the car and forget about it. There's a slim a chance I could go to start it up and drive it once or twice, but the car is 80 miles from my house. I am most worried about flat spots.

Are the flat spots really temporary? I had them once on my Merc and they did not go away.

 

My car sat for a year and a half without flat spots. It might have alot to do with who makes the tires. I kept the preasure up and not a problem. Just add like 5 lbs more than what you normally drive at. Should be between 38-41 lbs. My mustang is about 3800 lbs and has 265-40-18 on her.

 

You're much better off NOT starting the engine anyway. Never had flat spots on any tire on any type of vehicle in 35+ years of winter storage.....

 

battery tender to keep battery charged.... or you could always let one of us take real good car of you car for you...

 

What are the potential issues with leaving the battery unplugged? Does it reset the NAV and all that? I'd assume unhook the battery since Jag makes it so easy.

 

Do not jack the car up for an extended period.The jack point were not made for that.Don't worry about the flat spot on the tires,put an extra 5-10 psi into the tires.The body and suspension will be a lot happier if the car is left on the ground. I do fill the tank and put stabil and seaform into the tank per their instructions on the cans.I pull the battery and put it on a battery tender,the only thing I have to redo is the radio.I do put clean oil into the car before storing it.My car is in storage for six months,mother nature is not nice up here during the winter.

 

Thanks for the info. My 05 XJR is going in the garage today. I live in Washington D.C. and its snowing now.

 

We had snow on Friday. It was sooo cool!

 

NICE POST BTW!
i remember storing my Xj SuperV8 last winter, disconnected the battery and that was it,when i went back 5 months later to pick it up ,to my suprise the whole front end was completely down. i think that was due to the air suspension. after starting the car the front end raised to its normal height. this year to avoid having all the weight of front end sitting on tires and mags, i installed a jack under its jack points at the front end only. the jack was installed so when front end will slowly sag, it will sit on the jack and take some stress off tires .
Living in Montreal i have stored my cars every year, just add gas stabilizer and increase tire pressure.never had any problems. mind you they always been stored in heated garages.

 

Whether the air suspension collapses or not, the weight of the car is always on the tires and mags. This will not cause a problem, just like on cars that get driven year round.

 

Same day Disco stu 55 buggered his X up, I was driving around in my new to me '99 Durango. Looks like what I paid for it was less than what Disco will have in repair bills. My X-Type is now sitting in my heated garage. The temp is kept around 50 degrees but Mama-bear's Jeep will be in and out so there will be moist air in there. I don't think I will take her out again until spring. Battery tender and fuel stabilizer, 50 lbs in the tires, and I should be fine?

 

WINTER CAR STORAGE TIPS