Storing car for next 4/5 months

[Chrismawa]

I'm going to cover up my MK1 LCR and leave it at the back of my drive for winter. Just wondering what things I should be doing?

- Cover
- Handbrake off
- Chock wheels
- Crack windows open?

Do I need to buy a trickle charger, or can I just disconnect the battery? Then charge it up before use again?

Do I need to bother with a fuel stabiliser? As it's not exactly a long period?

Any advice would be great thanks.

[parabolica]

Handbrake off, wheels chocked and pumped up a bit and a trickle charger if you can; that’s all I’ve done for mine whilst I’m working overseas.

[steveo3002]

no way i would cover it

good wash n wax , disconect the battery and walk away ....few months is nothing

[ARHarh]

2 potions

option 1

Raise it on stands so tyres don't get flat spot
Put it on a trickle charger.
Change the oil so it doesn't have old oil sitting in it causing all kinds of havoc
Crack open windows to allow ventilation.
Leave handbrake off
spray with preservative wax
Plus many other things I have forgotten.

Option 2

Park it and come back when you want to use it again.

I would go with option 2.

[AndrewGP]

Some good tips so far, only things I'd add is to brim it with Super Unleaded (not E10) before you park it up. Any air gap in the tank is prone to rust from condensation which you really don't want.

As well as pumping up the tyres, try to move it a few feet every month or so as that will also help stop tyre flat spots.

[Earthdweller]

I have a couple of cars that are frequently parked up for a few months at a time, albeit in a garage

Leave the handbrake off, put a trickle charger on it ( if you can ) and walk away

When you get back, check the tyre pressures, get in and drive it

[P. ONeill]

If you can keep it inside somewhere do that, I wouldn’t really bother with anything else. Maybe start it once in a while.

[Conscript]

AndrewGP said:

Some good tips so far, only things I'd add is to brim it with Super Unleaded (not E10) before you park it up. Any air gap in the tank is prone to rust from condensation which you really don't want.

Aren't most modern fuel tanks plastic now? Not that there's any downside to doing it, I guess.

[99t]

Just disconnect the battery. Main concerns would be mould forming inside and the brake discs becoming excessively corroded.

Put a load of desiccant bags inside and be prepared to replace the discs if they won't clean up with use.

Note that if it has any water leaks then desiccant isn't going to help (this might justify a cover but otherwise I would avoid). Maybe wipe down the "touch" surfaces with anti-bac before storage?

[Natpen79]

This is my mk1 LCR stored at home.
I kept mine off the road for a few months last year. Inflated tyres a bit more, handbrake off, full tank of fuel and started up and let it get warm up and tick over a few times.
Still started on the button every time.
I had the car cover made by specialized covers.
Triple layer, breathable, fleece lined. Not cheap but kept the bird crap off the paint.

[Krikkit]

Conscript said:

AndrewGP said:

Some good tips so far, only things I'd add is to brim it with Super Unleaded (not E10) before you park it up. Any air gap in the tank is prone to rust from condensation which you really don't want.

Aren't most modern fuel tanks plastic now? Not that there's any downside to doing it, I guess.

Yep, and sealed. Just brim it with E10 and forget about it.

[Chrismawa]

Thanks for the tips so far. I want to cover it, to protect the paint as the paintwork is very good and I know the red on these is prone to lacquer peel. I don't think I'll bother with a trickle charger I think I'll just disconnect the battery as saves having to run a wire all the way to the car.

The cover I've bought is very good quality and breathable so should be better than letting the car get shat all over off the birds and the sun hitting the red paint?

Also, I would think my fuel tank is plastic?

[Chubbyross]

I invested in a set of these to use during winter lay-ups. Stops me having to move the car back and forth to stop flat spots.

[nunpuncher]

Folk are massively over thinking this for parking a car up for a few months.

I parked my 205 gti up for a few YEARS and literally did nothing other than leave the handbrake off and in contrast to everyone saying "brim the tank" I left mine as empty as possible as didn't want to have to deal with fuel that had gone off or drawn moisture.

[Chrismawa]

Are those dehumidifier bags worth using? Or would it be better to leave the windows cracked open a little under the cover?

[rigga]

Just leave it, that period of time is nothing, yes pump up tyres and maybe disconnect battery if no trickle charger, but that's all.

Do not under any circumstances start it and just run it for a small time, you'll creat a load of condensation which the engine won't get hot enough to burn off. And that will cause a load more problems than not starting.
If you start the car, you need to drive it , and long enough for all running gear to get hot,engine, gearbox and axle.

[eliot]

You never see the thousands of cars parked on airfields with trickle chargers, covers, ramps, the window open or full tanks of fuel.

I would disconnect the battery if it’s easy enough - but that’s about it for that length of time.

[georgeyboy12345]

What is a mk1 LCR? Sorry brain not working

[parabolica]

georgeyboy12345 said:

What is a mk1 LCR? Sorry brain not working

Leon Cupra R (guess)

[Bobton125]

georgeyboy12345 said:

What is a mk1 LCR? Sorry brain not working

Was going to ask the same thing! How would anyone other than Seat Leon owners know what that means haha

Keep a CTEK charger attached if you can.
I’m not sure the best way with regards to a car cover or not but since I had birds Poo all over my Porsche that I’d left for a month uncovered, it etched the paint and needed machine polishing to remove
Now I keep the car covered if I go away for some time (but I ensure it’s clean and spotless before putting the cover on)

Edited by Bobton125 on Thursday 3rd November 09:47

Edited by Bobton125 on Thursday 3rd November 09:50