CLK Storage

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design guru

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Joined
Feb 28, 2004
Messages
486
Location
Hampshire
Car
2001 W220 Mercedes S320cdi & 2001 W208 CLK230K (SORN since 2008)
I have decided to store my CLK away in the garage for a year. Besides disconnecting the battery is there anything else I need to do to ensure it starts up again from now without any major problems.
 
How long do you intend to store it for?

I would suggest that if it's for a few months - rather than years - it would be best to keep it moving, even if only occasionally on nice days.
 
I'd get the car off the ground to take the weight of the tyres and wheel bearings.

Drain the fuel - it'll go stale
 
I have decided to store my CLK away in the garage for a year. Besides disconnecting the battery is there anything else I need to do to ensure it starts up again from now without any major problems.

Which generation CLK is it...W208? With the battery disconnected how will you open the boot to put the battery back in? I'd check that the boot opens with the key, as it seems not always to be the case.

How about using a trickle charger for the duration instead?
If your garage has a window then you could use one of those solar chargers.
 
What kind of CLK is it?

If it's a mainstream model, storing it for a whole year makes almost no sense to me unless there's some special reason. It'd surely be better to sell it and buy another in 12 months time? :)

Will
 
What kind of CLK is it?

If it's a mainstream model, storing it for a whole year makes almost no sense to me unless there's some special reason. It'd surely be better to sell it and buy another in 12 months time? :)

Will

I would never find a model like this, when I bought it I kitted it out with every option available. Its a W208 51 plate with only 60k
 
I would connect it to one of these............

Battery Conditioner - Airflow UK

and take it out for a run every other month when the weather is dry.

Also, if your garage is damp, storing a car in there for a year will do more harm than good, nothing like a damp garage for encouraging rust to take hold.

Russ
 
storage taken from AA

More than three months

If storing a car for more than three months we recommend the following, as well as all of the above 'one' and 'three' month items.
  1. Carry out a complete lubrication service, including oil filter.
  2. Slacken the auxiliary drive belts, ie alternator, power steering, air conditioning, etc. Note: don't slacken the camshaft drive belt.
  3. Lubricate locks with a suitable lock oil. Spray under the bonnet, around the battery box, under the wings and the metal in the boot area with a water dispersant.
  4. Place the vehicle on blocks or stands (to raise the wheels clear of the ground and unstress the tyres). If you can, remove the wheels and store them flat in a cool dark place. Don't leave a vehicle resting on a hydraulic jack, as it will slowly creep down.
Starting a car left unused for a long time

The work required to start a car that's not been used for a long time will depend to some extent on how well the car was prepared before being put into 'storage'.
  • Check tyre pressures
  • Check that nothing's nesting under the bonnet or has chewed through the pipes/hoses
  • If any auxiliary drive belts were loosened when the car was put into storage then these must of course be re-tightened before the car is run
  • Check all fluid levels before starting – oil should be changed once the car's running
  • Stale fuel could be a problem – hopefully there's not too much in the tank so that fresh fuel can be added and can get through to the engine
  • Taking the plugs out first and turning the engine over is a good idea as this will reduce the load on the engine whilst the oil is redistributed
It's also important to check brake operation including the handbrake – if the car's been left with the handbrake applied then there's every chance that the brakes will have seized on. It may be possible to free them by engaging a gear and driving gently otherwise dismantling may be necessary.
It's good practice to arrange a full service once the car is running again.
Regarding the mot – the only circumstance in which a car may be driven on the highway without an mot is if it is being driven by prior arrangement to a garage for an mot to be conducted.
If you require a garage to undertake any work prior to arranging the mot then the car should be moved only by truck or trailer :rolleyes:
 
I would never find a model like this, when I bought it I kitted it out with every option available. Its a W208 51 plate with only 60k

Wouldn't happen to be EN51 something would it ? CLK Cab 320 ? Tansanite Blue with Orion Grey Leather ?

For storage might be worth checking out one of these storage facilities. Depends where you live. I used one near Chelmsford called 'autobahn' - very good - about £100 per month, totally secure and they used to trickle charge it, and start it about once per month to give it a warming through with the fluids etc, and to rotate the wheels (they have a very large private tarmac'ed area to drive it about in). They arranged a service before I collected the car again - service comment was car looked good as new.
 
Paranoid feeling

Wouldn't happen to be EN51 something would it ? CLK Cab 320 ? Tansanite Blue with Orion Grey Leather ?

For storage might be worth checking out one of these storage facilities. Depends where you live. I used one near Chelmsford called 'autobahn' - very good - about £100 per month, totally secure and they used to trickle charge it, and start it about once per month to give it a warming through with the fluids etc, and to rotate the wheels (they have a very large private tarmac'ed area to drive it about in). They arranged a service before I collected the car again - service comment was car looked good as new.

Not a CAB, not sure about lockups, I'm paranoid, god knows what the people are doing with the car when your not about. Paying someone to hold on to the keys. Hope the large tarmac'ed area is not the Nürburgring and the arranged service to remove the race decals and set back the mileage. I don't Think so.
 
Not a CAB, not sure about lockups, I'm paranoid, god knows what the people are doing with the car when your not about. Paying someone to hold on to the keys. Hope the large tarmac'ed area is not the Nürburgring and the arranged service to remove the race decals and set back the mileage. I don't Think so.

The company I mentioned is no cowboy outfit. I used them for a year.

S'up to you, but I'd seriously consider it.
 
I have a 1999 318is BMW that was parked up for three years. Just stuck it in a dry garage and didn't do any preparation. I just left the hand brake off and when I started it a few weeks ago I put a new battery in it, turned the key for a few seconds with the ignition unplugged until the oil light went out then reconnected the ignition and it fired up first turn of the key. I then turned it off and gave it a full service and its booked in for an mot next week.:)

If the clk is your pride and joy then I would probably do what the previous replies suggest.
 
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