Auto Storage
Caring for your seasonal ride
When you’re putting your ride away for the winter:
- Leave at the most a half tank of fuel in the vehicle. Add gas stabilizer. It's inexpensive and will keep your gas from going bad over the cold winter months, providing for better start up in the spring. Take the vehicle for a quick drive around the block to mix the stabilizer with the fuel in the gas tank, and also to assure that this mixed fuel is now in the line leading from the tank to the engine.
- You want to store your ride to protect it from the elements, so outside under a tarp is not recommended. Inside a building that is clean and especially dry is the best. Consider renting a self storage unit if you don't have space at home.
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- Give your ride a thorough cleaning. Get all the bug residue, bird and fly droppings, brake dust, and road grime off so that it doesn't sit on your paint all winter. Apply appropriate conditioners to the tires, and interior leather and other rubber parts to keep them moist and supple in the cold. This is a good time to empty out the trunk, glove box, and other storage areas of things you don't normally keep in the vehicle. Place a box of baking soda inside the vehicle. This will absorb any musty smells that build up as the vehicle sits.
- Remove the battery and store in the basement, utility room, or someplace similar where it won't freeze. Purchase a battery tender and keep it on the battery all winter. Tenders are relatively inexpensive and keep your battery healthy. If you already have a regular battery charger, just give the stored battery a periodic charge throughout the winter.
- Carpet square scraps under the tires help spread out the weight of the parked vehicle over a bit more of the tire surface and helps prevent flat spots from occurring in the tire structure. Raising the vehicle up and supporting it on jack stands, leaving the tires hanging free off the ground is another idea if you have the ability to do so. Vehicle dollies are also a good option, as they are curved and support the tire across more of it's circumference.
- Buy a good fitted dust cover for your vehicle. Be sure its fabric is designed to allow to breath. There are rain covers that keep your ride dry if it's outside. You don't want this for winter storage. Trapped moisture will have months to create rust on your ride.
- Set out several packages of rodent kill bait around the vehicle location. The wires, insulation, tubing, and crevasses of your engine compartment are an inviting winter home for these critters. The potent smell of laundry dryer sheets placed in several spots within the engine compartment and trunk also help to discourage mice from taking up residence.
In the spring, you should find that your car or truck rode out the cold winter in good condition, ready for another season of cruising.
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