Who else is tucking their car up for the winter?
Who else is tucking their car up for the winter?
Author
Discussion

vrsmxtb

Original Poster:

2,003 posts

184 months

Friday 5th October 2012
quotequote all
Usual routine - SORN declared, battery out and on an Optimate, tyres pumped hard, car cover on in the lock-up, handbrake off. See you in the Spring!

BoRED S2upid

21,034 posts

268 months

Friday 5th October 2012
quotequote all
Life's too short and its only a £1000 mx5 its not as if mine is in concourse condition and the way this summer has been im expecting some nice winter days without rain so I can actually get some top down motoring in!

vixen1700

28,715 posts

298 months

Friday 5th October 2012
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Hoping mine will emerge like a butterfly in the Spring as it's going to have the body off, chassis refurbished and resprayed over Winter. smile

HustleRussell

26,401 posts

188 months

Friday 5th October 2012
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The Caterham has been on SORN since February (for the racing season), but once it's been repaired and prepped for 2013 I'll be sorely tempted to un-SORN it.

hesnotthemessiah

2,121 posts

232 months

Friday 5th October 2012
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Mine will overwinter at XS Racing. Lots of bits and bobs to do and if its there they can work on it as and when. It may finally get all the bits on that I've been collecting for years. :-D

LuS1fer

43,428 posts

273 months

Friday 5th October 2012
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Mine is always tucked in the garage with our weather. One year I SORN'd it but then you can't tax online until the first day of the month you want it from or it backdates to the 1st of the previous month.

I have therefore kept it taxed in recent years as Sod's Law dictates that the day it is sunny and you want to use it, it won't be taxed and the day you tax it, it will rain for 6 months. Luckily, the Stang is only £220 a year so the pain is less.

I just wish they would let you tax cars a month at a time so you can pick the precise months you want to SORN without the hassle of surrendering the VEL and waiting for the refund and then have to traipse to the Bank to pay in the cheque even though you paid by debit card. Grrrr.

Ozzie Osmond

21,189 posts

274 months

Friday 5th October 2012
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Don't forget those vital "winter tyres" !!

_Batty_

12,268 posts

278 months

Friday 5th October 2012
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Nope. i paid good money for my VX220, so its going to be used all year.
Looks filthy at the moment, and i prefer it!

blueheron

461 posts

173 months

Friday 5th October 2012
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Daily driven so the hard top will go on, but that's about it. It goes on in October and comes off in March.

Just need to pick a dry day :/

Donatello

1,035 posts

189 months

Friday 5th October 2012
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I would love to tuck our Mk1 Golf Cabrio up for winter, but we have two cars and work 8 and 12 miles away from our work places.

Unfortunately, it stays on the road this winter weeping

I've just applied for a job about 500 yards from my front door... so if I get that, she can have the Mondeo and the Golf can rest!

Lord_Howit_Hertz

1,970 posts

245 months

Friday 5th October 2012
quotequote all
vrsmxtb said:
Usual routine - SORN declared, battery out and on an Optimate, tyres pumped hard, car cover on in the lock-up, handbrake off. See you in the Spring!
Tell me, is it a Mac F1 or Zonda? I know everyone has there P&J, and most people are Directors and stuff, but putting a car away for the winter? Apologies to anyone if I have missed something but I cant imagine people would do this. I dont mean to offend OP just curious to this decision, what will doing this gain?

edited to add, I really dont mean this in an offensive way as this comes across, purely for interest as to why.

Garlick

40,601 posts

268 months

Friday 5th October 2012
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No.

I did for the first time last year and when I started using it again I had to sort a few niggles out, niggles that never happened when the car was used regularly.

This year I will keep it legal and running, and while I won't take it (TVR) out in filthy or salty conditions I will enjoy crisp, dry and sunny winter days as they arise.

MASimmo

48 posts

177 months

Friday 5th October 2012
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My Mk2 golf GTI is on Sorn as usual over the winter, from 1st Oct to 1st April. Same as OP, tucked up in garage, battery out and in the house, handbrake off (brick under front and rear wheel) and my old alloys on, decent ones stacked up. Keeps the salt and rubbish off the ageing car. I do have another daily driver (facelift mk2 Focus ST) so wont be car less, actually daily driver is pushing it, I catch the train to work smile

Mermaid

21,492 posts

199 months

Friday 5th October 2012
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Garlick said:
I did for the first time last year and when I started using it again I had to sort a few niggles out, niggles that never happened when the car was used regularly.

Absolutely - just my feeling that tyres perish sooner when car is left for a few months, battery has a shorter life when charged by artificial means, small leaks appear due to seals perishing etc etc.

bicycleshorts

1,939 posts

189 months

Friday 5th October 2012
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I bought a mk1 mx5 as my winter car, so no.

Gogoplata

1,272 posts

188 months

Friday 5th October 2012
quotequote all
Nope, but I did put the hard top on this week.

LuS1fer

43,428 posts

273 months

Friday 5th October 2012
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Mermaid said:
Absolutely - just my feeling that tyres perish sooner when car is left for a few months, battery has a shorter life when charged by artificial means, small leaks appear due to seals perishing etc etc.
Not really. My Mustang still has tyres on it from 2006, 2 just replaced now due to damage rather than anything else - and the battery is an original 2005 item which has been on an Accuguard for most of it's life and had the electrolyte topped once.

I asked the tyre depot to check the 2006 tyres and they said they were perfectly fine - no cracks at all.

Badgerboy

1,794 posts

220 months

Friday 5th October 2012
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My S2000 normally goes away between the months of November to Feburary. Battery out, cover on although I do tend to take it for a small run out if the day is particulary nice.

Dislike driving it in the salt and grit when the roads are treated, and it is really a toy to me. I have a daily driver I run through the year. That way I look forward to when I can uncover it and start driving again. (I do the same with my motorbike)

epom

14,724 posts

189 months

Friday 5th October 2012
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Actually debating putting mine on the road for the winter, has been off all summer.

Roo

11,504 posts

235 months

Friday 5th October 2012
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If I took it off the road I wouldn't be able to get to work.

It's used as a daily snotter.