Storing Procedures???

[vette12]

This is going to be the first winter with the Corvette and for insurance purposes and because it wouldn't make much sense to drive it in the winter, I am going to store the car in a heated garage until March. However, I wasn't sure what I should do over the course of the winter with it.

Should I start it once every week or so?? syphon the gas out? Add any additives to the gas? change the oil? Change antifreeze? or nothing and just let it set until March? I've never stored a car, so I don't know what exactly I should do to keep it in tip top shape, for next year.

Any suggestions of what to do?

[Memphis]

staybil or however u say it

[American Psycho]

nothing id worry about. buy a car cover. start it once in a while if you feel like it.
the garage is doin the work for you. make sure the garage is insured and will cover an event of something happening to yer car.

[Marek]

Get a sh1t load of beer, winter is going to be long

[DriftingRz]

dont take the gas out of it, keep it about half full, because, if the gas isnt in there water moisture will build up and it aint gonna be fun

depending on what types of tires you have you might need to move car around a little every once in a while, so you dont get flat spots, but if you have like lower profile tires you wont really have to worry bout it.

and get a car cover, and not some crappy one

[American Psycho]

when spring/summer rolls around fill up with the NON winter gas mixture shit.

[bmxer99]

lol move to texas, no such thing as that snow shit.

[DriftingRz]

haha same here in Georgia, never seen real snow

[Traction Issuez]

fill the tank and leave the b!tch till spring. over inflate the tires and forget she is yours till it's time to drive her again. i have left my stang out in the snow and didn't have a problem doing so........................ well thats a lie, i got it in the garage as soon as i could.

[01mmmz28]

when I lived in wisconsin my friend did this to his vette:

Remove all 4 rims/tires and support the car w/ 6 jackstands...3 on each side. Take the rims and tires into the house and store in the basement. Laying them down flat, no stacking.

Add stabil to what ever gas is remaining

remove the battery and store inside the house, from time to time putting it on a battery charger to keep it fresh.

check levels of the anti-freeze and add antifreeze, not water if needed ( change in the spring time)

Put one half way opened box of arm and hammer baking soda some where in the car where it wont spill over...this will keep the car from getting a stale smell and will keep the car smelling like new if it still does.


No need to completely drop your insurance, you will end up paying a new premium when you reinstate it. Just talk w/ your insurance company and get " limited driving insurance " as you will not be driving in the cold and snow. It should be a very minimal cost for just 4 months or so.

Before restarting in the spring, change the oil out and the radiator fluid. Let the car warm up without any revving for 5-10 min. in the spring for 1st start up. Remember, the lifters need to pump back up full of oil and the oil needs to get itself circulated properly as it will have completely drained off everything in 4 months or so. It may be a little noisier than usual at 1st, but will smooth out and quiet down soon after warm up.

[low_civic]

Originally Posted by 01mmmz28

when I lived in wisconsin my friend did this to his vette:

Remove all 4 rims/tires and support the car w/ 6 jackstands...3 on each side. Take the rims and tires into the house and store in the basement. Laying them down flat, no stacking.I wouldn't take out the wheels...and btw you can stack them doesn't do anything

Add stabil to what ever gas is remaining Yuo fill the gas

remove the battery and store inside the house, from time to time putting it on a battery charger to keep it fresh. No need to charge it if its sitting in the house on wood floor its all good

check levels of the anti-freeze and add antifreeze, not water if needed ( change in the spring time)

Put one half way opened box of arm and hammer baking soda some where in the car where it wont spill over...this will keep the car from getting a stale smell and will keep the car smelling like new if it still does.


No need to completely drop your insurance, you will end up paying a new premium when you reinstate it. Just talk w/ your insurance company and get " limited driving insurance " as you will not be driving in the cold and snow. It should be a very minimal cost for just 4 months or so.

Before restarting in the spring, change the oil out and the radiator fluid. Let the car warm up without any revving for 5-10 min. in the spring for 1st start up. Remember, the lifters need to pump back up full of oil and the oil needs to get itself circulated properly as it will have completely drained off everything in 4 months or so. It may be a little noisier than usual at 1st, but will smooth out and quiet down soon after warm up.

ok i've been storing my ride for years now and this is what i do...check lower

[low_civic]

so you want to store your ride for the winter...


First off if your garage is heated its a bonus...if not don't worry its all good...and if you don't have a garage jsut make sure its parked in a place where the salt won't get to it (the snow doesn't harm your car its the salt that does)


no what i would do first is give your ride a nice cleaning, inside and outside, if you even want give it a nice wax job...

then once thats all done. take a drive to your nearest gas station fill up on gas.

then once that is done put in fuel stabalizer. (put it b4 the drive home)

once back home change the oil and filter giving it new oil.

thn park the car to where you would like it to be sitting for the winter.

once its sitting make sure your tires are inflated if the recomended is 32 psi put 45psi

(some ppl like putting the car on jacks if you do this remember do NOT lift the car to high up..slight lift is good for your suspension to high is not good what so ever).

now once its sitting there you can open the hood and remove the battery, place the batery in the house (not on concrete floor)

you may put some baking soda in the car as someone said but i never did...

once the battery is out i would plug the lil holes here and there that lil criters can get into, example your exhaust and so on...

now for the car cover you don't have to put one on i never did (even when my car sat outside) all the cover does is protect against dust,

now that the cover is on (or not) the battery is out, cars sitting nicely....go and enjoy the winter...


for your insurance make sure when you call them to only put FIRE, THEFT, and VANDALISM...

[low_civic]

now the question ppl ask is should i start it or not...


well hoenstly thats totally up to you, you can start it every week or so but you will see it gets to be a bother....

what i would do is leave the car there for good dont' worry its not gonig anywhere...and when spring time comes change the oil b4 you start the car again and boom the car is ready to go..

[Marek]

put some tire shine or protector also so the tires dont get ugly and crackled....
*warning* do not drink tire shine !!!!

[Blair_355]

Just a quick question, as someone has said leave it run for a bit after winter is over to lube the engine properly again, could you just fill the engine right up before winter so the whole engine is lubed the whole time to try and prevent any seals drying out?