Winter Lay Up. Keeping Dry?

[whitenemesis]

Carcoons are for people who spend their weekends picking stones out of their tyres with tweezers and parting the grass on their lawn with a comb.

I'll get my coat then.... (OK not the grass comb )

 

[Adrian5405]

I have my father in laws car with me for 12 months whilst he is sunning himself in Australia, I have chosen the following precautions for his car

Parked up under fir tress and totally ignored lol

Seriously though, we have a dehumidifier in the house and it works wonders, plus a garage with a bit of flowing air is also good, bit like an attic, windows open an inch is about all I would do

 

[Hamble Flyer]

The Uni Bond de-humidifiers which are "chemical" requiring no energy seem to work very well. Same idea I suppose as the crystals. They collect moisture in a container which is periodically emptied. They are small - about 10" high x 5" square so sit in a footwell with ease and cost about £8 from B&Q.

 

[219]

The Uni Bond de-humidifiers which are "chemical" requiring no energy seem to work very well. Same idea I suppose as the crystals. They collect moisture in a container which is periodically emptied. They are small - about 10" high x 5" square so sit in a footwell with ease and cost about £8 from B&Q.

Might look at that as SWMBO always complains about electricity used by the one I put in the back of the car over winter ...

 

[Deleted member 6183]

This might be a bit obvious but is the car prepped for winter use even if it won't be used on the road?

I mean winter friendly liquids like coolant and, often missed, windscreen wash.

 

[brucemillar]

This might be a bit obvious but is the car prepped for winter use even if it won't be used on the road?

I mean winter friendly liquids like coolant and, often missed, windscreen wash.

Indeed it is and a good point you make.

I'm just being more **** than usual with this car as I really do not want it to suffer any further woes. My plan, with this coming summer, is to drive it and enjoy the better weather, being able to get out to some of the MBClub Meets. I missed the entire quota of last summers meeting schedule, when the engine blew up on the way to Charles Morgan's meeting.

As I wrote this post it occurred that others, like me, may benefit from from the experience of members who have laid up older cars over the winter.

I have seen the destruction caused by mice, rats and squirrels and (not in winter) a giant wasps nests appearing in a friends treasured MKI Bubble Arch Escort. I live in he countryside where vermin can be an issue, hence the Rat & Mouse Poison.

I my own case. I trashed the perfect paintwork on a Ferrari 355 with an indoor cover that transferred it's weave pattern into the paint over the winter months, when the car was garaged. This has left me with a fear of indoor covers.

All this and then you get those who do nothing and never have an issue. The ones who's gran smoked a hundred fags a day, while scoffing a bottle of Jack Daniels and lived to 115.

My luck of late with cars dictates that any thing that can go wrong will go wrong.

 

[lisa110rry]

Bruce, I think it's essential that you stuff all those old towels into any gaps under your garage door!:bannana::bannana::bannana:

 

[renault12ts]

I know people who store cars in purpose built facilities. Some have trickle chargers some don't. Some take all sorts of fancy precautions as discussed above, some don't. All the cars I know start the same after a long lay up.

Put it in the garage...forget about it. The winter is only about 3-4 months long.

 

[John Jones Jr]

Bruce here's my 2p's worth.

I've been storing cars on and off for years in different types of garages and buildings. By far the best method I found was using heat and a dehumidifier in a well sealed premises. Plus some minor ventilation depending on ambient weather conditions.

I usually only control the heating by thermostat (kicking in below 14C) and let the dehumidifier run (air temp usually needs to be above 12C to operate) in auto mode with it draining directly outside.

Besides the above, I never use a car cover, I pump the tyres up to 45psi, drop the windows down a few mil and do sod all else bar disconnecting the battery if I haven't got a smart trickle charger.

 

[ianrandom]

I heard that concrete floored garages wick damp up to the underside of the cars. Can't corroborate that though, and I suppose the rubber mat thing would help.

Regarding running the engine, I think that is bad practise unless you can take it for at least a short run.

I would ensure you use ethanol free fuel in the tank (I found out from writing to some petrol companies that Esso premium is the only one still without it unless you live in Devon, Cornwall or Teesside I think.) Or use an ethanol protection additive like the one Millers do.

I would change brake fluid, engine oil, coolant & windscreen fluid etc. I sent my SEC to sit for a long time recently and got the gearbox oil done too, but it probably needed doing anyway.

 

[brucemillar]

Okay and update:

I have now got got a reasonably sized 5 litre de-humidifier that sits inside the car on automatic. Had it running yesterday, last night and today. Went for a look just now and found less than a thimble full of water - Good.

I have left the car windows open a few mm and pumped the tyres up. I will get some rubber mats later today to stand the tyres on. The car sits on a Ring Maintenance Charger, so that is all good.

I will (as suggested) not run the engine each week. But will give it a run out if we get a nice day.

I have not put a cover on it, but I have placed mouse & rat poison around the garage (just in case).

The garage is in constant use by me as a workshop and for any one of my other cars so I am not so concerned about stale air or insect nests. I will check it over regularly for any suspect stuff.

Thanks you all for the great tips and suggestions.

 

[anglaslt]

I regularly lay up one of the cars for the winter from the beginning of November to the end of March. It sits in the garage under the house which is fortunately warm and dry, even if it is -25c outside.

I always keep it on a permanently attached CTEK conditioner with the car fully locked so it goes to sleep. I don't know but if, as some suggest, you leave a ventilation gap in the windows will it still go to sleep?

I don't take any other precautions apart from making sure it is put away warm with the brakes dry and the handbrake off. I cover the car with an "Agriflex" horticultural fleece which keeps the dust off but allows ventilation and doesn't cling to the bodywork. I usually buy 6m off the roll and, I think, 5m wide. I don't know if Agriflex is sold in UK but I'm sure there are similar alternatives. It's a brilliant, cheap and effective cover that you can replace every couple of years. Ours usually goes on the garden plants during winter after I've finished with it.

I've never bothered to run the engine or drain down or replace fluids. I don't think it's necessary.

Hope this helps.

 

[Deleted member 6183]

On the subject of vermin.

My Mum had a problem with mice basking on her air filter when the car was put away in her garage, she bought some kind of vermin scarer and has not had any issues since. It's a kind of cylindrical shaped black plastic box with a flashing red LED on it, she reckons that is sends out some kind of sonic wave which rats and mice don't like.

I did laugh at first but it has worked, well something has anyway, if I'm honest I remain sceptical.

 

[Rosso1]

If its just over this winter and will be used again next summer / better weather then i would condition the seats and keep the windows low to allow air flow.
I would either block the wheel or put the car on axle stands.

You have already said it is dry and you have pest control in place so you should be ok.
Make sure the car is totally dry on the inside before putting it away.

I guess on dry days i leave the doors open to allow odors and smell to escape.

 

[brucemillar]

All snug now. Just awaiting some rubber floor tiles to put under the wheels. I may just do the entire floor.