Do any of you out there store your cars in the winter?

[Nicole Josee]

I've always stored my Mustang in the winter and always done it the same way, take it for a long drive, fill the tank, take the battery out, put some lubricant in the sparkplug holes. I never start the car until spring. Some guy was telling me that I should start the car everyday and let it
run, I've always thought that this does more harm than good. Anybody have any thoughts on this?

When I stored mine during the winter, I'd just start the car once a month,let it get to operating temperature,then shut it off,do it again the next month,never had any problems

[MissBlondie]

My car is garaged most of the winter. I don't take the battery or anthing out of it. I usually go and start it and my bike ever 3 days, just to get it running. I've never had any problems with either one after I pull them out in the spring.

~Jill

[Rice Hunter]

Originally posted by Mustanguy
When I stored mine during the winter, I'd just start the car once a month,let it get to operating temperature,then shut it off,do it again the next month,never had any problems

I do the same, as well as put of cover over it in the garage... which may seem like over kill... but I have three Golden Retrievers that like to jump on things (not on top of teh car, but put their front paws on it to see if I'm in it). They are too cute to yell at so they pretty much get away with murder

[scott93gt]

Well, I store my car all winter, ususally from October 31 through March 15, or later if it is a long winter. I change the oil and filter right before I park it in the garage. I used to start the car once a month as well but then I read (I think it was here in MW) that all the oil drains from the engine in a few days so starting it say 4 times over the winter results in 4 dry starts instead of one dry start in the Spring. We will see, as this is the first winter that I have not started the car at all. The fuel tank is full, the car is on jack stands ( prevents the tires from drying out sitting on the concrete), and the battery cable is disconnected.
Come on Spring!!

[bryan manduley]

my turbo car sits in a garage on jack stands during the winter and all time lately. my wifes cobra sits under a nice car cover outside.

[302 LX Eric]

I store mine too.

I take her out about once a month for a spin, and then pull her back in the garage. I figure this way the battery stays somewhat charged and all the fluids get to move around and come up to full operating temp.

Can't wait until this winter is over. We've had way too much snow and it's been a very, very cold winter. Tomorrow is March 1st so were are getting closer to Spring.

E

[Stang_Crazy]

I store mine every year from October to April. It stays in the garage on jackstands under a car cover. Before I put it away, I put some sta-bil in the tank, change the oil, filter, etc. I've never started any of my cars while they were stored and haven't had a single problem yet.

Does anyone take the time and detail their cars over the winter? I take my wheels off and clean them (the inner lip can get pretty dirty), scrub the wheel wells, clean up the undercarriage, go over the engine with a tooth brush and some degreaser (yes I said tooth brush), and give it a spring detail when the weather warms up.

[mustangII460]

I dont see a point in filling the tank up if your not going to start it until spring. All you will have is a full tank of bad gas in the spring time. You could put some "Stabil" sp? as stated before, to keep the gas fresh, but again, why.

For the cars I don't start for a while I will spin the oil pump before I start it. Most of the time I pull the car/ cars out when the weather is nice and fire them up. Weekly or when ever possible.

You can always invest in a oil circulator. I used them in the past on very expensive motors. Basically you can throw a switch and the oil will circulate, then you can safely start it up.

A synthetic motor oil will stay on the bearings, etc longer than a regular oil.

I think everyone agrees a dry start will damage your motor, the longer you wait the worse it will be.

Putting the car up on stands and releaving the suspension is a great idea, already posted.

Unhooking the battery is always a great idea. I usually have a master cut off switch on my stored or hot rod cars. The older Ford alternators will catch fire from time to time.

[StangFlyer]

I store my Mustang and my Lightning in the garage for the winter. I don't remove the battery, as I have an automatic trickle charger setup on it for the winter. I start the cars at least once a month, if not twice a month, throughout the winter and let them warm completely up to operating temperature. In the spring I change the oil before normal use again.

[Crazy Horse GT]

i drive mine all winter long, heheheh, gotta love the south.

[StangFlyer]

Originally posted by Crazy Horse GT
i drive mine all winter long, heheheh, gotta love the south.

Yeah yeah... rub it in...

[Crazy Horse GT]

Originally posted by Dan McClain
Yeah yeah... rub it in...

lol dan we did get more snow this year than in 10 years, but i plowed through it anyway. , that mich snow driving expierence payed off heheh.

[hobgoblin351]

Mine's sitting out back under like 2 feet of snow!

[Nicole Josee]

Thanks for the tips everyone, I hope spring comes soon. We've had snow up here since November, and it doesn't look like its going away any time soon

[MidNiteBlu 5.0]

You guys dont drive your cars during the winter? Why not? Are your drag strips closed too? Strange places you guys live

[red82gt]

Sucks to be in the east this year! Not a flake has fallen this winter here on the west coast, ended up storing my car anyways though, if the tracks not open than there's no point of wearing it out on the daily grind in heavy traffic. I start it once a week, the synthetic oil keeps the top end slippery enough so I'm not worried about dry starts. I usually have to fill it up with a jerry can when it's time to take it out of storage because I usually park it with less than a gallon of gas left in it. I'm glad it wasn't very cold at the start of the winter because I forgot to put antifreeze in it (it had just straight water in it) until the middle of december.