What do you guys do when you store your car for the winter? What do you guys recommend doing? I know starting it up once in a while is always good. Thanks.

 

I pretty much winterized my car yesterday, heres what I did:
Drove it until there was a 1/4 tank left
Put some Stabil in the gas tank
Washed it
Put on 3 coats of wax
Changed the oil
And put on a custom fitted car cover.

 

Also, if you have 4 jack stands I would get the car off the ground.

 

All I do is wash it and fill it up with gas.

 

That's about it, I don't bother with the Stabil, just run it low, put a couple of gallons fresh in (I do so little mileage that a tank may be a couple of months old before winter arrives). I think I'll take the battery out this time, the original didn't last through last winter, it's not from discharge, it wasn't healthy even before. That or get a trickle charger. Don't start it through winter unless you run it long enough to thoroughly warm through or it'll leave moisture in the exhaust.

 

You should leave the tank full all winter. It cuts down on condensation.

 

seems to be some varying opinions on this topic....each person has some good and some bad suggestions.

jack stands - good only if you place them under the axle and front A-arms. the car was designed to sit on it's fully loaded suspension...why would 6 months more of that do damage? just make sure you keep your tires fully inflated.

stabil - not a bad idea regardless...but in allhonesty...probably not needed.

empty/full tank - as stated...condensation is bad. granted you can always run some of that "dry gas" stuff when you take it out...but it's probaby easier to just fill it up, put some Stabil in and call it a day.

starting - DON'T!! every time you start the car, it runs for a few seconds with no oil (all of it drains off). the more times you start it over the winter (unless you do it every day) the more dry starts you'll have...which is never good. if you DO start it, run it for a a while...up to full operating temp and then a few minutes more. i would just let it sit though.

can't hurt to throw some of those moisture absorbing things inside...keep the humidity down. maybe tape off the exhaust pipes so no critters get in there. i'd also ArmorAll the weather striping...keep it soft and pliable.

 

Biggest thing is to use some fuel stabilizer (I reccomend Sta-bil).

I also usualy wash and wax mine before it goes in for hibernation.

Also, I would reccomend putting it up on some jack stands (under axles to put load on the suspension) to prevent flat spots in the tires, and putting a car cover over it.

I always disconnect my battery, but leave it in the car, letting the battery sit on concrete can kill it.

I reccomend once you put your car in the garage leaving the car off, until you plan on pulling it out from its storage time.

Other than that, I also put a couple dishes with Baking soda in the car to keep it dry. One in the hatch, and one up front.

Depending on if where you are storing it is climate controlled or not, (if it is not) then I would reccomend putting a low wattage light on near your front sway bar aiming at the opti, to compensate for the condensation.

Also, when you pull the car out next year, for it's first few drives until you have used up all the old gas, I would reccomend not opening it up. Although the fuel stabilizer will help, you still may have lessened your octane level in your tank, which if you open up the throttle in your car, it may lead to detonation.

And then finally, after the first few drives post hibernation, I would change the oil and the filter.

I have used these steps for years now, and the car has always fired up on the first crank from turning the key. I am still on my original battery I put in the car when I got it in 1999 as well.

 

Thats more along the lines of what I was saying.

 

Yep me too.