Right;

I will be storing some cars over the winter months, I like to think I'm a sensible bloke with some knowledge of how to store a car, but as I like to learn I want to pick people's brains on how to store a car correctly.

Bit of background on this; the garage is a normaly brick built type with up & over door. No heating, but is well ventilated.

Some points I was considering;

Do i put it on axle stands??? or is there any need to raise it off the floor???

> If I do put it on axle stands, do i prop the body or the axles/wishbones???

Do i do an oil change before putting her away?

How regular to run her?

Simple stuff I know, but I want to hear people's experiences & problems

Hops

Top thread i need to know some info about this too

Ensure windows/vents are shut,disconnect battery,store with empty fuel tank,and i think that's about it if for just a season.

My Ibiza valver sat on an open driveway for the first half of this year,engine hadn't even turned in like five months,and it ran sweet once id braked the rust off the discs.

i have just moved to irelnad for a year, and put my g40 in storage. all i did was get a cover for it and park it up next to a barn, out of sight from anyone who might want to steal her! i would have loved to put it inside the barn, but it was full :(

make sure you leave your handbrake OFF, otherwise it may cease up and cause lots of hassle.

i would suggest to leave the windows a crack open, just to allow an amount of airflow running through the car, stopping the air inside the car getting damp and moist = prime for mould to develop.

dunno about starting it up, i've just got my dad to turn it once a month to running temp, move it about to keep everything working....

i would be interested to see what other people suggest about this too.

I'm no expert but have read a few post on bike storage.

empty of fuel, fresh oil change - even cheap oil.

wheels of ground, or put on carpet, have some heat source, well ventilated.

I dont see why people say you need to put new oil in it? I would leave the old stuff in and give it a service before you drive it again

well ventilated, battery out, empty fuel tank, oil change, i think i remember readin that you should change the oil and fill the engine completely to the top with oil then when you wanna drive it again just drain that oil and put the right amount in.

personally for my bike, i just leave it sitting in the garage as normal, and make sure i get it out for a quick blast every couple weeks when theres a dry day. much less hassle than storing it and keeps it running good. so if you can manage to just get to these cars every couple weeks and start them and drive round the yard a bit that would be better.

Handbrake off, wheels off the ground, if that isnt possible, over inflate the tyres so they dont get flat spots, leave the windows open a little bit so it doesnt go mouldy inside, disconnect battery. It depends how long you plan on storing them to be honest, if its just a couple of months, the above should be fine, if a couple of years then you have to worry about draining fuel tank etc.

And i wouldnt bother changing the oil before it goes away, just do an oil and filter change before it gets used every day again.

Top tip..

Put an old ice cream tub or similar full of Tesco value table salt in the car.

It acts like a big pouch of silica dessicant and draws the moisture into it thus drying the atmosphere and inhibiting mould growth.

Cheers

Stu

Top tip..

Put an old ice cream tub or similar full of Tesco value table salt in the car.

It acts like a big pouch of silica dessicant and draws the moisture into it thus drying the atmosphere and inhibiting mould growth.

Cheers

Stu

thats the best thing i've heard all day... and thinking about it, is so true!

Top tip..

Put an old ice cream tub or similar full of Tesco value table salt in the car.

It acts like a big pouch of silica dessicant and draws the moisture into it thus drying the atmosphere and inhibiting mould growth.

Cheers

Stu

That is cracking advice...like it.

People are saying keep the wheels off the ground. Where is best to support the car from then???? I was wondering whether leaving the suspension dangling would do it any good???

Support the car on the sills, the suspension will be fine with no weight on it.

Tray of cat litter works to suck moisture in too.

this thread should be tidied up and pinned in the faq!

good advice for a question that could be potentially be asked a few times esp with run up to winter!

My car polo as stood for a year on the driveway over winter without a cover and petrol in the tank, only problems i had was the crap battery kept dying so I got a new one, and the rear drums stuck a bit.

But I ran it id say 1 once a week for about 5-10 mins and rolled it up and down the drive trying to use the brakes.

EDIT: salt in a tin is a really good idea!

Edited 20 August, 200818 yr by tommyisthechamp

this thread should be tidied up and pinned in the faq!

good advice for a question that could be potentially be asked a few times esp with run up to winter!

You see not always the joker me.......I do have a serious side..........

Any more tips anyone???

I would leave it on its wheels personally, they are the bits that its designed to stand on

my polo started off in the garage resting on the sill plinths I made, and not touching a spare one at the front, by the time it came out, it was touching it....

Not sure how serious you are about its condition, but our boat is laid up onshore over winter, and what we do is have a dehumidifier on a timer that comes on every day for a bit, and a heater with a frost stat on it, to stop the dehumidifier icing up

If I were lifting it (though if you can keep the occasional eye on your tyre inflations, why bother?) supposr it on axle stands on the suspension.

Goes without saying, charge and disconnect the battery, or use a conditioning charger.

take the engine out and put it in the kitchen then put the rest of the bits around the house thats my plan lol

I would recommend putting a shitty set of wheels on any cars that are going into storeage as what happens if your tyres go down while its in storeage and fucks up your sidewall! (been there done that!)

Did this get pinned in the end??

Salt tip just has to be the best so far!!!!!

my mate uses salt in his static caravan to avoid moisture.

Should be stickied this.

keep a full tank of fuel, (to stop condensation from forming in the tank)

take out the spark plugs and coat the threads in an anti seize compound.

only one's i can think of that have'nt been mentioned.

paul.