Hi Leo

Same here with the Tyres, there is really nothing wrong with the ones that I've got on but a New Set of Tyres improves the look as well as the handling.

Always passed the MOT without any probs but at the moment I'm climbing out of a mountain of Bills, so probably won't be taking my Car out much this Year.

And already looking forward to next Spring.

Don't forget the Antifreeze, I change mine every year.

 

Hi 01 Silverstone

Cheers for that advice but as for myself, I always use 'Mer' which has kept my Paintwork immaculate on my XJS 'Cherry Blossom'

That stood outside in all Weathers, unused for 14 Years with just a Car Cover on.

 

Agree 100%. We've had E10 in Canada for over 20 years. I've yet to find one bona fide case of it damaging a car (or any vehicle with a sealed fuel system) while in storage. Garden tool and boats are different story and not relevant here.

On the other hand getting rid of old clumped Sta-bil is a pain. How ironic

 

I agree, personally.

I work on cars all day long that have been stored for long periods and have no problems related to E10.

There *can* be a problem if the fuel system is exposed to a wet environment. That's why boat owners seem to have a lot more problems with E10 than cars owners

OTOH, non-E10 gasoline doesn't like a wet environment, either

Cheers
DD

 

I'm being a clever man at the same time... As the future will see possible issues with getting petrol (you know, electric car flood), I'm changing all rubbers to take E100. So IF that day ever comes, I'll be ready!

 

Oh ya? I'm upgrading my cars for E200! Beat that

As an aside, I was in Brazil earlier this year where E85/E100 is the most common fuel. When I asked about tech issues with the fuel I just got a blank stare. Yes, I do the speak the language.

 

E200? Sod it! That is too much Ethanol for my taste! E150 okay but E200? Nah... too much! That'll kill any engine! Even those not made for ethanol!

 

Don't forget to SORN the car since you're in the UK. It either needs to be taxed or SORNed, it will come back to bite you later if you don't.
https://www.gov.uk/make-a-sorn

 

Hi Garethashenden

I already SORNed her on Sept 1st but since the Mercs still up the Creek, I may have to Re-Tax her again, until I've got another daily driver sorted out.

 

Apologies regarding fuel, when I had to over winter a car it was the 80's and certainly in the UK back then fuel stabiliser products didn't exist.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/STA-BIL-Stabil-Fuel-Stabilizer-Storage-Petrol-Treatment-Additive-1gall/28011034389?iid=302607331837&chn=ps

Looks like good stuff and you'll need the whole bottle for our 71l tank

 

thanks for reminding me . just sorned

 

generally for winter storage i just dump some fuel stabilizer in the tank and park it and disconnect the batterys. change oil in the spring. before putting it back into use. if you have a power plug close by to where you park the car a battery maintainer is a good idea. i prefer full fuel tanks because as temperature cycles happen the fuel expands and contracts pulling air (containing moisture) in and out of the tank a low tank is more likely to end up with more moisture in the fuel and rust in the tank as there is a larger volume of air that can exchange.

i have seen vehicals that were parked for extended periods of time 10 years+ that were parked with empty fuel tanks and the tanks were rusted garbage that needed to be replaced, and others parked for just as long with full fuel tanks that just needed to be drained and filled with fresh gas.

for a 4 month storage period you could pretty much just park it and forget about it come back in the spring and nothing will be wrong. if your battery is weak in the first place or have a parasitic loss if the battery is allowed to go dead that is your most likely problem your run into. if your battery is in good shape and fully charged generally just disconnecting the battery is enough to avoid any issues.

my jag lives its winters in my heated shop, it does get started periodically to move it in and out from time to time when i need the extra space for something else im working on and then it will get parked back inside at the end of the day. will generally leave it running long enough to get the coolant and oil up to temp when i do. i will drive it a couple time in the winter as well only when the roads are completely clear and dry. i don't do anything at all to prepare it for winter storage. boat and motorcycle go into cold storage, and no power in the unit. the boat i drain the water from the engine (raw water cooled inboard), throw in some fuel stabilizer and make sure there is no water in the lower unit. and disconnect the batteries. motorcycle just gets fuel stabilizer and disconnect the batteries. everything gets a oil change once the first nice weather arrives in the spring.

 

Gotta say this seems like the best idea. If salt's a worry, pressure-wash her undercarriage, but seems like such a shame to miss out on months of motoring. Not sure about the wax-on not-wax-off treatment though--didn't you report a while back that you had immense problems removing the wax come spring, OB?
Anyway, I'm sure global warming will solve the issue soon enough....

 

I park mine for the winter and remove the battery, inflate the tires and change the oil before it goes into storage. Typical usage is about 6 months of the year for me when the roads are clean/dry/salt and gravel free enough to drive it.

 

Hi Someday

Someone revived this very old thread though in any event its all good but as for my Car 'Cherry' and the rest of my little fleet, they are going to spend the Winter in the Garage

Unlike when I bought my first MGB and drove her with the Top down all year round and even in the pouring rain as well, which with the benefit of hindsight, wasn't quite as enjoyable as it seemed to be at the time

Although I've still got an MGB (rubber bumper type now) those days are behind me, as now I'd rather purr along enjoying a drive on one of those nice Sunny days

And so I won't be Taxing 'Cherry' until the 1st of March

 

Damn, didn't even realise it was originally such an old thread.
Driving an MB in the rain? Yes, I can imagine that might not go so well. All right at speed maybe, but not when stopped at the lights....
Still think it's a pity to keep the cars off the road over winter, mind....

 

Hi Someday

Yup, I was really into 'B's at the time and did the whole 'B' thing, with all those tales of 'daring do' like driving in the pouring rain down the Pub on a Sunday over half a pint of mild and a packet of pork scratchings

Though nowadays its much more likely to be Scampi and Chips but as for the 'B' the 'B' before the 'B' that I've got now, it just got Wet too many times and simply rotted away

 

Perhaps drain holes in the floor would have helped....

 

Why do I need drain holes when the floor was rusted through

 

had an mgb once. just once. hateful piece of crap, blasphemy i know