01 TL. Car will be sitting for longer than I have ever left it. Just installed a new battery, newer tires.

Not sure how to approach this, just let it sit or ??. Any tips would be appreciated.

 

Battery tender on the battery
Not needed, but lifting tires off the ground helps with flat spotting them (which is only temporary as well).

 

At the very least I would put the car on jack stands & put the battery on a trickle charger. Is it going to be in a garage or outside?

 

Outside

 

Car cover for sure and maybe the occasional check for rodents.

 

Previously over winter it stood for two months while I was gone. Only issue was the battery was dead (needed a new one anyways 5 years old) and the IACV was stuck and had to pull the TB to clean it out.

 

Sorry Legend but you should NEVER do this as it puts a big strain on the suspension. I store my 350Z and 650 each year in the winter in a barn on a piece of plastic, battery tender and 2 car covers on each. Never a problem and yes, the tires flat spot a bit but after 10-20 miles, they're round again.

 

What about fuel?

A can of seafoam in the tank, maybe?

 

I store mine every year for the winter. I inflate the tires more (closer to Max psi) to avoid flat spots. I have the tires sitting on some wood, trickle the battery, put fuel stabilizer in the gas tank and run the engine so it mixes in, I put dryer sheets inside the car and steel wool in the tailpipes. I also do a good wash/wax and cover it. When I bring it out in the spring it gets an oil change and a detail.

 

Not needed, just drive the current tank as low as you can and fill it up full with fresh gas right before you store it.

If you're storing outside here's what I'd do:
1.) Fill gas tank.
2. )Change Oil.
3.) I don't do this part because it's stored inside but park it on a tarp to prevent moisture from underneath hitting the car
4.) Connect battery tender.
5.) I don't do this part because mine is inside but stuff the tail pipes and intake with coarse steel wool to prevent rodents. (make sure you vacuum out the intake before starting it again though)
6.) Park it on carpet squares if you can, not necessary but nice to do.
7.) Crack two of the windows just a bit
8.) Put a waterproof but breathable car cover on it. Make sure the cover has draw strings at the bottom to tighten.

No need to put on jack stands or anything like that. I do basically this with my S2000 every winter and it works great. If you want to get real fancy, you can put towels under the wiper blades too.

 

For sure will be better prepared this time around.

 

^ No, make sure you fill the tank to the brim. Gasoline will displace any air and therefore moisture in the system which is what you want. The volume of fuel held in the tank of a normal car will take a very long time to go bad as opposed to what's in a lawnmower for example. I let it sit for 6 months and it starts up without any issues though I do try to go through that tank as fast as possible.

 

My original point is to store it with a can of seafoam or even when starting up after storage to put some seafoam in the car which should help with the moisture and with any outdated fuel.

 

Eh, you can do as you please but I personally wouldn't bother. My car sits for 6 continuous months with none of that crap in there (only full tank) and it starts every spring when I hit the big red button.

 

^^^ precisely

 

I don't know about Seafoam. I use STA-BIL when storing my boat.

Add as directed to the gas tank and run the engine a bit.

 

Damn, i had never thought of this. Good call.

 

FWIW many car website recommend storing a car with the tires off the ground, although many say to put the jack stands under control arms to load the suspension.

https://www.carfax.com/blog/store-your-vehicle

Storing Your Car

Tech Article: Putting Your Car Into Storage

 

Also forgot about one thing, when the car sat this winter for a couple of months, mind you in winter, the brakes literally bit into the rotors, rotors had a rust covering on them.

How about coating the rotors with something? if anything.

 

Anything you spray on there that will actually stick around long enough to make a difference will compromise braking later on unless you get it off thoroughly when you're ready to use the car.

A few firm brake applications should strip the rust off. Initially you'll have compromised braking but that should go away very quickly.

 

That`s exactly what happened when I applied the brakes the rust stripped off and I was on my way. Didn`t affect the brakes at all afterwards. I won`t worry about it.

 

Here is what I did so far:

1) Oil change (needed it anyways)
2) Quick detail on the interior.
3) Washed and applied two coats of wax
4) Filled the tank
5) Filled the tires with 35 lbs of pressure normally 32.

Some good news, my Mom stepped in and said she will take my car out with her every week when she goes shopping. She just saved me a couple of hundred of dollars on chargers and car covers. Thanks MoM!

Thank you for all the advice!

One final thought, I read an article that made some sense and that was not to apply the parking break for an extended period of time and to use chocks instead. The E-brake could fuse the brakes and cause damage.

 

Yes, don't put the parking brake on. Sorry forgot to mention that. I don't leave the car in gear either but that doesn't apply to an AT car...

If your mom is going to be driving every week then it's probably fine to leave the parking brake on.

Also, where are you going that you're leaving the car for that period of time?

 

Heading to Greece, Building a house, fixing a house, and cleaning up some property we own.

Two of my Cousins drive Rally and I will be begging them to let me drive the Fiat.

 

Works car? If yes, you have more hope than the Pope.

 

One more final thought, looking into putting my Insurance on pause while I was gone and found out quickly that the only way that happens is if you cancel. It`s not worth it to me to cancel and loose all the perks built up over years.

 

You can switch it to comprehensive only but given that someone will be driving it that may not be a good idea. I switch the S2k to comprehensive only (no liability or collision) for the winter and it costs ~$50/6mo.

 

Storage steps:

• wash and wax the car
• cover with a weatherproof car cover
• change the oil
• top off the gas tank
• us a trickle charger (if you disconnect the negative battery cable you will lose your radio presets and settings)
• leave the parking brake off
• use jack stands if you have the time
• use steel wool in the exhaust pipe and air intake
• put mothballs around the car; also, spread some rat poison around