OK... so I was kind of suprised that I did not find hundreds of posts on this.

I officially put my car away for the winter last week. It's all washed and waxed, full tank of gas.

I guess I am contemplating a few different things, and I'd like some opinions from some of you with experience I guess?

1) Tires - I've heard of people just overinflating them for the winter. I guess I'd rather move the car forward/backwards a foot maybe every other week to eliminate flat spotting? Or do I really need to put the car on stands for the winter?

2) Gas - I'm assuming add some stabilizer to the tank? Its full, with 92 octane. I figure the couple of bucks for fuel saver isn't exactly a waste. Correct me if I am wrong

3) Battery - I had planned on just leaving the car sit as is. I didn't really take into consideration that the car would die by spring because I know I'm gonna have to open a door/hood/trunk from time to time. Anything I need to know about keeping the battery up to date? Set a trickle charge for 5 monthes, or should I be charging the battery for an hour a month?

4) Anything else? It's parked in my garage, which I am in pretty often. I'm not too worried about mice and rodents. Never had a problem (Do I need to be worried?). Should I be leaving any windows cracked (someone mentioned moisture?). If anyone has anything else they personally like to do - let me know. I'm not trying to fill my car with mothballs or anything, but at the same time I do care

 

first of all i wouldnt put my car on jackstands all becuz it will have your suspension hanging and it stretches it out so it can make it weaker in the long run so i wouldnt put it on stands just start it up every so often and drive around the block

 

I see your point about the jacks stands. I guess as long as I lifted it by the suspension itself, I would be OK (as the weight of the car would still be the same, it just would remove the tires from the equation).

As for driving it around the block, that's not really an option. I am storing this vehicle for the purpose of not driving it in the snow/salt/winter. I bet the guys parking their 69 Chevelle's don't just "take it around the block" mid January.

But I think I'd rather not deal with it at all, so I will probably just move the car a foot at a time.

 

From what I've read, people actually recommend jack stands.

Car springs are stiff as hell. I don't think they will stretch out. If you are worried about that, take off your wheels.

 

The easiest thing to do would be to just drive it once every 2 weeks, then you don't need to do anything else. Is there a reason you simply can't do that over the winter? Wait for a day when the roads are dry and take it around the block a few times, just 10 minutes of driving so the engine has time to warm up and the alternator has time to charge up the battery a bit.

 

Ohhh boyyyy, I've had mine stored for almost a month now without putting it on jack stands... I have tein basics, should it be fine jacked up?

 

I've never heard of anyone storing an acura for the winter, especially in our city..

ferrari? lambo? GSX-R? sure..

i should do it myself actually, just to keep the mileage manageable. car isnt even 2 months old and it has 5500 kms

 

Storing doesn't only apply to exotics. Plus, modding + oxidation = PITA!

 

You'll still pick up the salt on the roads. You must not live in city that snows

 

I know where you're from JM (and can maybe back me up or tell me just to agree?) - Here in MN, once there is snow on the ground - it's pretty much wet until spring.

I guess the purposes for me wanting to store it are 1) 4x4 dodge ram handles better in the snow, and 2) so I can avoid all of the salt and sand on the car if I can. Taking it for a spin around the block would get my car dirty within 10 feet of leaving my driveway. Then I wouldn't be able to get it clean again unless I bucket washed it with water from the house, and did it in my garage with no drain or anything.

Am I just being too picky with not wanting to back down from my wanting to store the car for the winter? I mean what do the people with vintage corvettes do? I never see one just rolling around the block to charge the battery and prevent flat spots.

 

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...winter+storing

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...winter+storing

 

Store it. If you wanna do it, do it.

Winters are crazy in the midwest.

I would store my TL if I had a garage!

 

i wouldnt worry about putting it on stands, but fuel stabilizer, and a batter tender/trickle charger and that should do it....your not storing it for a year, just 2-3 months....

 

Glowrdr ... our winters in Seattle are not anything compared to MN and I wish I could store my car ... I feel ya

Jackstands shouldn't be a problem, nor should just airing up the skins and leaving it parked on the ground. Personally I'd air up and leave it parked on the ground ... radial flat spots are not permanent with a good tire.

Sta-bil in fuel for sure and run the car so it circulates in the entire fuel system before you put her to bed. The fuel quality/longevity these days really SUCKS ... pay more, get less ... go figure? I've been slowly winterizing my fleet and have always had good luck with the Sta-bil product

Battery on a battery tender is optimum ... slow trickle on automatic.

Last thing ... make damn sure that the car is rodent proof! Little bastards are amazing and can wreak havoc on interior, wiring etc. Traps placed where you are parking it FTW. Or get a bad-ass cat

GL with the winterizing

 

Can't you simply spray the bottom off with a hose after driving? I remember my dad spraying salt off his van in the winter.

And someone correct me if I'm wrong... But don't all newer cars come from the factory with rustproofing undercoating applied to the bottom, and paint protection, that should protect them against salt?

 

Glowrdr - whats your daily driver ???

I would recommend either driving it when it's bone dry (not often but there were cases were there was so much salt, the roads were WHITE not from snow).

And purchase a trickler.

 

If you are gonna store it, stuff a rolled up newspaper in the exhaust pipes.

 

I would do this:
1.Drain out the oil and put some new oil in (regular oil is perfect for this)
2. Fill the fuel tank 1/2 way and add fuel stabilizer to it.
3. Fill the tires to 35 PSI COLD
4. Wash and Wax the car with some good stuff.
5. Condition the rubber with 303 aerospace protectant
6. Condition the leather with some good conditioner
7. Put some Silica gel packets or baking soda packets or something that will absorb moisture on the floor of the car
8. Put the car on jackstands after raising it so the tire does not move, but a bit of the weight is lifted off the suspension. Once every 2 weeks, raise it slightly, move the tire 1/4 of a turn, then lower all the way and let it sit for 2 days, then raise back up to where it won't turn, but the suspension is unloaded. By doing this, the suspension will be compressed/uncompressed so that all the parts stay lubed up, and as well that nothing seizes. By rotating the tires, you are insuring no flat spots form.

 

maybe use some baking soda for the moisture?

 

^ No I think thats an option.

Also, not all hoses will work in sub-zero weather

 

Well I had my car in storage for over 15 months in Germany (under a roof, but outdoor motorpool) while I was in iraq and I barely did anything. I wanted to put it on blocks or stands but they wouldnt let me, I just kept the tires at normal PSI (the stock michelins), disconnected the battery, put silica gel packets everywhere in the interior, and put a Acura car cover on it. I came back on 31 oct and got it out last week with no problems at all, I went and changed the oil and filter immediately, I didnt lose any PSI in the tires, nor are there any flat spots. Overall I think its just a new car and not that big of a deal to store.

 

I'm storing it / putting it away for now, because I need to sell my other car first before I start insuring this one and driving it + I'm doing a few mods. I'm only 19, so it's hard for me to insure 2 cars at once, $$ wise...

 

I drvie my TL as a daily driver, but I was fortunate enough to purchase a 2002 dodge ram a few months ago. I keep them both insured, but the truck will be my DD until about April.

As for the comment about hosing the bottom of the car off - In the winter here, you can't have hoses out because they would just burst. I had to drain my hoses and put them away for the winter already as well.

It's a different beast when winter actually means 30 below zero. You can't just go for a peaceful drive around the block and grab out the hose and give it a good bath before putting it away.

I do understand that from time to time, it does actually dry out where the road is salt-white (but dry). But I have enough info now that I think I can get everything under control

Thanks for the help guys. If anyone has anything else to add, keep it coming. It's making for some interesting conversations.

 

ROFL @ spraying down the car.

I dont think they understand how "cold" it gets in the Midwest.

Imagine this: You stand outside for 1second and your nostril hairs are FROZEN!

 

keep the tank full

 

Guys, I'm in Ontario, southern Ontario but it's still at least as cold as the midwest US. And I specifically remember my dad hosing off his van during the winter. He did it inside the garage. I don't know how the hose didn't freeze, maybe he kept the hose inside and brought it out when he wanted to use it then drained it and took it back inside or something, I don't know, all I know is that he hosed off his car in the middle of winter when it was well below freezing.

 

Good start!
We purchased one of our new cars in 1989 and I've store it every year over the winter in a garage about 100' from the house. I leave a battery tender hooked up, full tank of gas with stabilizer, put towels in the tailpipes, cover the engine air intake, and also cover the cabin air intake area, but on a TL the opening is probably small enough to keep rodents out. I also leave the hood open to discourage the little guys from having a feast on the wiring, or making condos on the engine.
Best bet is a cocoon, or a car cover capsule, but have never invested in one and have neer had a problem.

 

You are all mentioning stabilizer...... what exactly is that???

 

I'm not sure if I'm getting it 100% accurate, but I know enough to not want to google it for the scientific answer.

Basically it stabilizes the fuel, so it does not go bad and get all gummy from sitting too long.

Ever have a problem starting your lawnmower if it sits for a month or better with gas in it still? Same concept, just on a larger scale.

 

LOL i bought my Acura Type S for winter, and other purposes, cuz i store my roush in winter.

 

oh boy am I glad I live here, I don't really have to worry about that. It will be 90degrees this weekend blah

 

try living in northern saskatchewan

-50C without windchill..for a week straight..yay..life sucks when...

 

^ How about ?

Haha thats insane!!!