Fyi Apologies if this has been discussed before (if so please just point me to the thread) but what's the consensus on the best way to store cars which are very seldom used. Low humidity environment aside - A long time ago I understood the belief was that you should pump up the tyres to avoid flat spots and have them started every couple of months but with petrol going off quite quickly now I'm not sure this still makes sense?
I store my cars for about 5-6 months each year. Here's my short version Fill tank with premium fuel abd proper amount of fuel stabilizer Fresh oil I typically pull the battery on the older cars cuz there is no need to keep it in. Newer cars with computers and such = battery tender Some sort of humidity control/mildew packet Styrofoam insulation (cheap way) or tire cradels for "potential" flat spots (I think its a myth) I never start the car until spring. If you can't get it hot enough to burn off moisture in the oil and exhaust you really arent doing anything positive.
Tires will get flat spots, not a myth. I notice them when driving my cars that have been sitting for a while. They do work themselves out after warming up, but you can avoid the funny feeling by parking the car on FlatStoppers.
Completely agree. Never had a problem following that in Alaska. I park it on Costco playground mats year round to keep it off the cold floor.
.....have them started every couple of months .... Absolutely the worst thing you can do. Firstly, all the oil has drained out of all the moving parts, so you are starting it multiple times with no lubrication on key friction/wear areas. Secondly, unless you run it at full operating temperature for at least a half hour, the moisture in the engine will condense and not have time to vaporize and be expelled. The resulting moisture will mix with the oil to form a very nice sludge. Don't start it until you are ready to put it back on the road. I've owned motorcycles all my life and living in the Northeast they are always put away for the winter. I never start them until spring when I'm ready to ride. I also squirt some oil into each of the cylinders, but this is not so practical with my V12! I can't tell you how newbie cyclists regularly start their bikes and run them for 5 minutes through the winter. Wrong!
The most dangerous part for a vehicle is not using it. Seals dry up and leaks start occurring and components start failing. Start it once a week and run it till it's warmed up is the best for the car in storage.
Actually, the most dangerous part of storage are rodents. Make sure all opening are sealed, including exhaust pipes. No food or water in the garage for pets or whatever. I use moth balls, peppermint oil, and dryer sheets for certain areas of the car. I am a believer not to start the car during the storage. I do change the oil and sometimes brake fluid. If car is not driven much during the fair weather, I do not fill the tank with gas. I only fill 1/4 and use stabilizer and run it through the system. Even with stabilizer, gas can go stale in a few months. Over the decades, I found, if properly stored, having a car sit for a few months in a garage in not a big deal.
+1 Anybody wonder how often Ferrari dealers start and warm up their cars. I'm sure they drive them for at leat a half hour every month.
Thanks, very useful. The trouble is I have quite few cars and it's difficult to know when I will use them but it's not regularly. It could be once a month or it could be 12 months 'til I next get to drive a particular car. I think I'll just put fuel stabilizer in and make sure the garage is dehumidified and not worry about the running it regularly bit unless I'm actually going to drive it
I have parked cars and not gotten back to them for 5 months before. They always start no problem with no preperation. With cars that might sit for long periods of time I don't use them on short trips. I only fire them up if I will be driving for 30 minutes to an hour. Park them and forget about them. I change oil and brake fluid annually regardless of use.
