Winter Storage

[blue_bomber697]

Hey guys. It was a sad day for me last night as I finally put the cover on my C7 for the long winter. I'll probably shed a tear everytime I enter my garage now and see it covered. I live in Northern Alberta in Fort Mac and temperatures are getting quite low now, -5 to +8ish.


So when do you guys typically store your cars and what do you do for prep?
I filled my gas tank full, made sure the inside and outside were spotless, plugged in the battery tender, and put the cover on. This is the first time I've ever stored a vehicle over winter.

 

[81Wayne]

I go to Home Depot or Rona and buy a damaged sheet of 1" pink Styrofoam and cut 12" square blocks (I put 1" x 2" on the leading edge so as not to crush the edge too bad) and park my car on those for the winter, no flat spotting. Don't forget stabilizer in the gas. Bounce sheets in the inside and engine compartment to potentially keep rodents away. Some people go as far as putting steel wool in the exhaust pipes so mice don't get in there either.

 

[venk12]

This will also be my first winter storage. Curious to know when Toronto peeps are going to start storing the car. I am hopeful i can go until the end of November at the earliest *fingers crossed*.

I live in a condo so i may just do a few laps here and then in the parking garage every soft often in the winter.....

 

[blue_bomber697]

I go to Home Depot or Rona and buy a damaged sheet of 1" pink Styrofoam and cut 12" square blocks (I put 1" x 2" on the leading edge so as not to crush the edge too bad) and park my car on those for the winter, no flat spotting. Don't forget stabilizer in the gas. Bounce sheets in the inside and engine compartment to potentially keep rodents away. Some people go as far as putting steel wool in the exhaust pipes so mice don't get in there either.

From what I've read, flat spotting should never occur over a winter. Also, my tires are completely bald so I'll have new ones on for the spring. So I don't think flat spotting would be a big deal anyways if it did happen.

 

[Elf]

I mention this each fall :For those on the west coast ya might want to consider storage near Las Vegas airport .For those central/east ya might want to consider storage near the Orlando airport .
Personally I do Orlando and get to drive my car once a month

 

[vintageracer]

This will also be my first winter storage. Curious to know when Toronto peeps are going to start storing the car. I am hopeful i can go until the end of November at the earliest *fingers crossed*.

In Toronto... the earliest I would even consider would be Dec 1st. We didn't even pull our sailboat out of Lake Ontario 'til early November!
My cars, including my '87 Corvette and '68 AMX, will likely go into semi-hibernation about mid-December but will be ready at a moment's notice to get out for a drive several times when the roads are clear in January and February.

But I'm crazy that way.
David

 

[tyho]

My C7 goes in storage at the sign of the first snowfall. Gas stabalizer, leave the battery in, hook it up to a smart charger eg. CTek, $60 + HST, a nice wash and polish, cover it and go to sleep for the next 5 months. I may buy rubber mats, Lowes $15 and just leave the car on those.

 

[C7Driver]

Aside from those things already mentioned I usually take the air pressure up to 40 psi or so to stop flat spotting.

 

[CCO]

Hoping for late November, or December if we're really lucky. I also hate to give up on the season. This year's seemed to go by very quickly.

Happy 'Hibernation' everyone.

C.

 

[VINDIC8R]

In Toronto... the earliest I would even consider would be Dec 1st. We didn't even pull our sailboat out of Lake Ontario 'til early November!
My cars, including my '87 Corvette and '68 AMX, will likely go into semi-hibernation about mid-December but will be ready at a moment's notice to get out for a drive several times when the roads are clear in January and February.

But I'm crazy that way.
David

68 AMX? Very sweet indeed.

 

[vintageracer]

68 AMX? Very sweet indeed.

Thanks VINDIC8R. I really like my C4, especially as a brisk and comfortable grand touring car.... but my true love is the rude and rowdy AMX
David