Proper way to store 308 gti

Sell it and buy another one when you want to drive

 

Drain all the fuel, flush the fuel system with a light petroleum product.

Spray all surfaces with cosmoline.. Then shrink wrap it and vacuum seal it in 5 mil plastic suspended on foam pads. surrounded by a moat of insecticide and vermin repellant.

Seriously.. have someone drive it periodically.

 

Disconnect the battery and preferably, put it on the jack stand so it will not have flat spot on the tires.

 

Store it on the road at 88mph (5th gear when it's for a long time)...

Just kidding.

Let a (good) friend drive it once a month. Give him/her gas money and don't complain if he/she takes it on a date. Keep good insurance.

 

+1

Especially because you aren't sure how long you'll be storing it.... It's better to drive a car once or twice a month for a year than to mothball it for a year.

 

I can't recall ever even seeing some sort of recommendation(s) for how to (successfully) store CIS injection for multi-year periods -- if you find some, please let us know what they are...

 

flush the fuel system, change the oil, flush the cooling system, over inflate the tires and you are good to go for a year or more, I would even flush out the brake fluid.

Since I see you are in L.A. I volunteer to drive it once in a while which is the best way to store one of these cars. No matter what you, the seals will dry and the interior will dry and there will likely be some issues when he starts driving again. Are you anywhere near Hi. 1 by the beach ? I will drive it more often if you are

Seriously, a year wont hurt the car drastically if you prep it with fresh fluids all around, worse that MAY happen is a few dry seals and some drips, those 3x8s run better with a few drips here and there in their motor.

 

Some years ago I was at a Ferrari dealer who let me watch the mechanics.

They were disassembling the engine of a 308 something, I think that it was an I.

The car was pristine --- it looked like it was brand new.

It had been sitting for a number of years. Many of the seals in the motor were ruined.
They sure were taking apart a lot of the motor to fix it, heads off, etc.

 

You know, I like to watch Chasing Classic Cars and periodically on the show Wayne will go out to some garage or barn to look at a car that's been there for years. And usually it's been there because it had sentimental value to someone who also had no use for it. And now needs significant restoration to ever drive again.

It just makes me sad. If these people are truly sentimental about these car and truly see them as objects honoring or recalling a loved one, shouldn't they honor the object rather than allow it to slip into disrepair?

A long way of saying - please talk with your friend and ask why they want to keep it - is it better to lock it up, potentially for years to (literally) rot away or to pass it along to be enjoyed the way they or a loved one did? What is the best way to honor the memories and emotions attached to the car?



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Chris, that one gave me a good chuckle...

"If you love the car, set it free!"

 

Several months? Fill it with gas, park it in a garage, disconnect the battery, cover it and forget it. That has been my winter storage routine for 28 years with my GTB. Also for my Miatas when I had them, my Z4 and my Boxster. None every failed to start and run fine come spring. Usually don't even need a battery charge. if you do, probably time to replace the battery.

 

It wouldn't hurt to chuck some fuel stabilizer in the tank, then run the engine long enough to ensure that stabilized gas has been dispersed throughout the fuel system... But certainly not necessary for a few months.

It's the bit about "storage for months and maybe even years" in the original post that's worrisome. That doesn't sound like just a few months, or a single season.