Winter Storage

You can go to real extremes here. Some recommend removing the battery, lifting the car to unload the tyres and suspension, even air conditioning the garage to keep the damp out.

But for the average Joe, I'd recommend-

1. Clean it. Really clean it. Every last bit of road rubbish and mud off the underbody, suspension and engine. Make sure all, the sill and door drain holes are open and clear. Then you'll see any jobs that need doing before the next dose of summer fun. Have the alloy wheels, if fitted, professionally cleaned to remove every last trace of brake dust. After cleaning, wax the car to protect the paintwork.

1. Drain, flush and refill the cooling system with good quality anti-freeze mixture to maintain corrosion protection. Then run the car until the thermostat opens to make sure that this new mixture has flowed throughout the system.

2. Substitute a cheap and nasty battery for your normal one. Check and charge it every couple of weeks rather than trickle charging it continuously. Continued top-ups ruins batteries so don't subject your expensive one to that treatment. Maintain power to the car while changing the battery, then none of your radio or EMS settings will be lost. Store your good battery inside the house where it will be protected from low temperatures - batteries do not like the cold. Check your good battery from time to time. Storage in a discharged state will ruin it.

1. Open all the windows and the boot (trunk) a little to allow some ventilation prevent any staleness.

2. Depressurise the fuel system if you are able to. If not, don't worry about it.

1. Leave the transmission in neutral and the handbrake off. Chock the wheels if there is a risk of movement.

2. Take the time to lubricate door hinges and anywhere else you see fit. You'll never get round to it in the summer when you're too busy enjoying yourself.

1. Regularly check the car throughout the winter months to ensure it hasn't become a home for vagrant rodents.

Personally, I don't cover the car with a sheet or similar. I want to be able to check it, and I figure the interior will be less attractive to migrant rodents if it's not dark. I wipe over the car regularly throughout the winter with a just damp soft rag to lift any dust.

There's loads more you can do, it really depends on how far you want to go. Don't be too obsessive about it. Remember you have obviously bought this car for summer fun, and it should remain "fun". Start the new season off with a full service, fluid and filter changes.

Please remember that after extended storage the brakes may not be what they were. A small amount of surface rust may appear on the brake disks which will reduce your braking efficiency for the first fifty miles or so, so be careful.

As always, the above is just my humble opinion. It serves me well enough, and allows me to keep a couple of summer only cars without their winter upkeep becoming a pain. Mine are garaged inside a large industrial unit over winter and following the above I've had no problems. My garage facilities are not air conditioned or dehumidified, but I have no real problems despite the very wet British winter season. The garage is well used throughout the winter so damp air does get in, but it's well ventilated so that does not seem to be a problem.

Kind regards

Um, shouldn't you be adding a fuel stabilizer to the tank?

Personally I've never used them, most of the advice I've had has indicated them to be a waste of time.

If you know different please re-educate.

Personally I've never used them, most of the advice I've had has indicated them to be a waste of time.

If you know different please re-educate.

Personally I've never used them, most of the advice I've had has indicated them to be a waste of time.

If you know different please re-educate.

Sorry for the above multiple posts, my ISP appears to be playing silly-buggers again