Winter storage advice?

[Chrismawa]

I'm going to be putting my car away for winter with a cover on my drive. Probably won't use it again until the spring. Any advice on the best procedure to follow? I was thinking of, disconnecting the battery and leaving the handbrake off but in gear so it doesn't seize on. Anything else to be aware of? Thanks.

[steveo3002]

have you used a cover before , they can often do more harm than good , scuffing when it flaps in the wind and blisters if it traps moisture

[Krikkit]

Don't bother with a cover imho - too easy to get dirt underneath and trap the moisture.

Easiest thing is to start it and give it a little run around on dry days to make sure the tyres and brakes don't seize up, if not then slightly over-pressure the tyres, handbrake off and in gear is usually best.

[Kswap]

Get the car super clean. Handbrake off, disconnect battery, brim tank and pop in some fuel stabiliser. That’s what I did when I kept my old car outside for five months unused for two winters with a cover from coveryourcar.

No scratches, no blisters etc

[RizzoTheRat]

Alternative to disconnecting the battery is to give it a trickle charge occasionally. Either with something like a CTEK charger where you fit a connector cable on to the battery so you can easily plug in the charger, or if you're not going to use a car cover, a solar charger is an easy option. I have an AA branded one that plugs in to the OBD socket and have left the car for several months at a time with no issues.

[Chrismawa]

I've bought a premium tailored cover, so should be a decent fit. Its also fully breathable so it shouldn't trap moisture. The car suffers from leaky doors that I haven't got time to fix yet, so a cover is definitely needed.

Thanks for the above as there's some things I hadn't thought of.

[Garvin]

Car cover should be waterproof (obviously) but also breathable.
Make sure coolant is clean/fresh and correct concentration.
Disconnect battery or run on trickle charger.
Pump the tyres up to the max pressure (given on side of tyre) to prevent distortion/flat spotting.
Run the engine once a month up to temperature and pump the brakes and clutch a couple of times.
Brim the tank with fresh fuel, preferably E5 or below but not E10 (Ethylene absorbs water). Fuel stabiliser will help but not essential.
SORN it (but don’t forget to re-tax it when required).

[Chrismawa]

Whats the reasoning behind filling the tank full prior to storing?

[Garvin]

Helps prevent condensation in the tank.

[rickygolf83]

Helps reduce the risk of condensation forming in the petrol tank

[Krikkit]

Just brim the tank, don't bother about E10

[d_a_n1979]

- Full tank of fuel
- Full wash, dry and polish
- Battery on trickle charge (don't disconnect; there's absolutely no need)
- Tyres pumped up a few extra PSI
- Some soft rags to keep the cover from catching the paintwork - placed in various spots it'll keep the cover from laying too flat
- Interior given a good clean and get some of those dehumidifier bags off Amazon to keep the interior dry; swap them out weekly (ie dry them in the house and then put back into the car)
- Start the car every few weeks to keep the engine turning nicely
- Handbrake off, maybe; but blocks under tyres to stop any potential rolling etc

[Jonny TVR]

Some good advise above.

Is it worth protecting it from rodents nesting in it?

I would use a blow dryer to get rid of all moisture after the clean. I had problems with one of my cars stored inside over the winter as there was trapped water. I bought a dog dryer that really works well .. its very high pressure warm blower that is also filtered.

[john_1983]

Agree with pretty much everything above, but starting the engine is unnecessary IMO for only a few months storage. With it idling or under little/no load it will take longer to get oil temp/pressure so you're likely to do more harm than good.

I store a few cars over winter and don't start the engines - they all start & run fine in Spring

[Chrismawa]

Thanks for the advice above!

I have received the cover today, but I'm a little put off about it. It states "Important : You should remove this car cover weekly & inspect the paintwork for moisture and condensation. It wet, allow to thoroughly dry before refitting."

This wasn't mentioned on the advert before buying. Is this normal procedure when covering a car? I don't really want the hassle of doing this every week. I was under the impression I could just wrap it up over winter and it'll be ok...?

[steveo3002]

look up how much it will cost to repaint if the paint blisters , ive worked in bodyshops and repainted several cars for this reason , some seem okay others will not be okay

wash and wax it , wipe off any bird mess when passing , it will be fine

dont start the engine until it can be warmed up fully otherwise its filling the oil and exhuast with condensation

[Pica-Pica]

rickygolf83 said:

Helps reduce the risk of condensation forming in the petrol tank

I’ve never bought the myth of condensation in fuel tanks.

[Chrismawa]

steveo3002 said:

wash and wax it , wipe off any bird mess when passing , it will be fine

Thanks. Do you mean, not to bother covering it? I am in two minds now whether to or not...? Haven't used it yet so can easily return.

[steveo3002]

Chrismawa said:

Thanks. Do you mean, not to bother covering it? I am in two minds now whether to or not...? Haven't used it yet so can easily return.

yes dont cover it , bigger chance of damage vs leaving it bare

[steveo3002]

rickygolf83 said:

Helps reduce the risk of condensation forming in the petrol tank

which was a problem when tanks were made of metal