Preparing Your Car for Winter Storage.
by: Terra.L.Fletcher
Posted on: Monday, August 25th, 2008 at 9:07 pm by: Terra.L.Fletcher
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Sometimes the climate dictates that your car should be stored for the winter and if you live in an area that requires putting away the “fun” car for a season or three, take the time to follow these suggestions. Doing so will insure your car is in the best possible shape come spring.
The first thing to consider is where your vehicle will be stored. This will depend much on the value of your car, the space you have, and the money you are willing to spend on storage. If you have the option of storing your car in a climate controlled environment this would be the best option. If that is not a possibility, consider renting a local storage unit. Many of these are available to rent on a month to month basis at a reasonable rate. You might pay as little as $40 a month to store your summer ride.
Do not leave your vehicle outside for the winter. Doing so will put extra stress on your vehicle and negate any benefits that may have otherwise come from the winterizing process. If you are storing your summer car in your garage at home, you will want to limit people coming in and out.
Before storing your vehicle, complete a routine maintenance check. You may wish to do this yourself, but if you can afford to, ask your trusted mechanic to do an “once-over” and make suggestions.
Anti-freeze should be checked at least twice a year. This is one time you should check it. Flush the entire system if necessary. Check the car for any leaks, loose belts, or frayed hoses. Examine the belts for signs of cracking or wear.
Many people recommend that you disconnect and even remove the battery. Severe winter weather can drain the battery even when the car is not in use.
If left stationary (on the car) all winter, your tires may develop flat spots. You will want to remove your tires and store them off the ground. Put the first one on a pallet and place a sheet of plywood between each tire. In spring you will want to check them over again before replacing. The changes in temperature will also affect the air pressure. You will likely need to re-inflate come spring.
A car with very little gas in the tank is more likely to have moisture build up in the fuel lines. Although I wouldn’t store a vehicle with a full tank of gas, you might want to have a least a quarter of a tank of gas. Switch to synthetic or lighter oil for the winter months. These don’t tend to thicken as much as conventional oils can in cold weather.
You will also want to check with your auto insurance agent to decide if it would be worthwhile to reduce insurance on your car. If you know the car will not be driven for six months out of the year, for example, you may choose full coverage insurance for six months and storing insurance the other six months.
Finding and solving any problems now will reduce the likelihood of serious problems in the future. Taking the time to properly winterize your vehicle will make for much smoother operation when it comes time to get your car out for the next warm day.
