"Winterization" of 360

This may be a bit early for this, but just wondering: I live in a location that might mean me not getting to drive my 360 for a few months (except for the odd day when the roads are not icy and the rain/snow is not falling); therefore, would running the car for 10 minutes in the garage every weekend keep the battery from dying on me? Also, assuming it is dry out with no ice, can the car be driven when temperatures are close to or just above freezing? Are there any "special considerations" that should be taken in to account during these sort of cold conditions? Thanks.

 

I've been storing cars for nearly a decade now from November to April, I remove the battery all together to avoid the battery being drained and from the "frost" that forms at the electrical connections which is corrosion. Also from what I've learned running the car for 10 minutes won't get it hot, it will just heat things up so more condensation can form. Also even if you let the car idle for 30 minutes so it reaches full temperature, you're not driving the car so you're not blowing out the carbon, letting the air pass through the car and the suspension and other fluids in the car aren't being "worked" so idling the car does little and can cause issues.

For just a couple of months I would take out the battery, make sure the location for the car stays dry and put a proper amount of stablizer in the gas tank to preserve the freshness of the fuel and walk away until the weather clears. For long term storage {more than 6 months} I would do more like blocking the car to take the weight off of the suspension and tires which you could do as piece of mind and even adding some oil to the engine in a few locations wouldn't hurt along with a coating of grease in places that may have dry rot after a few years of sitting for six months at a time.

Ideas vary greatly when it comes to storing cars and there are differences when it comes to age of the car and any special needs a certain car may have. But for you, it's just a few moments of work and you're done.

P.S. A good car cover may be a good idea, even if your garage isn't dusty the car will accumulate dirt/ debris that will scratch the paint if someone rubs against the car and a good car cover can keep some moisture off of the car.

Also don't forget to change the oil before storage {if it's close to being ready for oil} I would rather clean oil sit in the car over the winter but on the other hand more bits of crud will work its way to the bottom over the winter so in the spring more junk will come out. I don't have this worry as I change my oil every 600-1,200 miles depending on the car.

 

Great information! I noticed you're in NS, so you'd have the same problem as me. What about hitting the road every available non-rainy day? Is there a temperature limit for driving these cars? Is it OK to drive them close to zero, below zero, just above zero, etc? If I could take them out on the road for 30 minutes every other week or so that could be good?

 

The way I prepare my BB512i for winter is to drive it at least 100 miles every other week...of course I live in the Atlanta area where we get a total of around 4 inches of snow a year...