How do you guys protect your cars when put away for winter?

[StylishOne]

How to u keep mice out? Keep things for rusting or putting, engine  n gas tank preserved? You detach battery, then store it in the house? 

[padgett]

"Winter" to you is when I bring mine out.

[Jim Milewski]

Run a good grade fuel stabilizer, battery out and inside,  fuel tank full, a few drops of mystery oil in cylinder heads and crank over,  irish spring soap, dryer sheets and moth balls, put up on jacks or over inflate tires and roll the car once a week (no flat spots) and get out of house once a week and check on things and count the days till spring

[28 Chrysler]

31 minutes ago, padgett said:

"Winter" to you is when I bring mine out.

It is time to drive a car without AC.

[TTR]

"put away" ??? 

Why would you do that ? 😲

 

Here's couple of "winter" shots.

First one taken (at 6000 ft. elevation) 3-4 years ago at 8am on Xmas day, on which I've taken a habit to do an early morning, few hour leisure drive every year. 

Second one taken (at 7500 ft. elev.) in November, '15 during a few day road trip up, down & sideways around CA 395 with a friend who came to visit from Europe for 10 days and wanted to experience something different.

 

Edited October 6, 2020 by TTR (see edit history)

[John_S_in_Penna]

Well, at least you've had one solid answer so far.

It's clear that Floridians put their cars away in

the summer instead.  And a few brave souls use

their cars in winter when there is no salt!

 

My cars are pretty much unused from November

through February--about 4 or 5 months--

and during the car season they get driven,

so my preparations may not be as extensive:

(1)  Protect against rodents if you have them.  Traps 

around the garage are a big help.

(2)  Disconnect the negative terminal of the battery.

I keep the batteries in the car, but I used to take

them home and keep them indoors.

(3)  Keep the cars in indoor storage.  Covering them

may give a little extra protection.

(4)  Make sure that ethanol-laced gasoline has been

given an ethanol treatment.  (I do this year-around.)

It is supposed to keep the ethanol from breaking down

into acid, and it's especially needed when the gas

will be sitting in the tank for extended periods.

 

Others may do more.  Or maybe I'll think of something

else to add.  Hope this helps.

 

Edited October 6, 2020 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[TTR]

All good suggestion given so far by Jim & John.

I would add couple of things like to help prevent condensation related problems making sure car and all its mechanicals are fully & thoroughly warmed up right prior to placing in storage, preferably by driving the car at least 30-60 minutes at highway speeds.

Occasionally starting and just briefly running the car during few months in storage is not something I would recommend due to aforementioned "condensation related problems". Better to just have it sit through without disturbance.

And perform all annual services (change of fluids, etc) at the time of taking it out of storage.  

[cutlasguy]

  Over inflate tires. Full tank of gas . Add Stabul Fuel Stabilizer. Wash and wax the entire car. Change oil. Make sure a waterproof tarp is placed over the concrete floor before driving it on. Spread Bounce Drier Sheets throughout the garage and car interior. Place Desiccant Bags under front and rear seats and in the trunk. Cover car with a good quality car cover. Uncover and start the car and run it for 20 minutes once a month during the winter, running the heater and Air Conditioner as you do. Let the engine cool before recovering.

[Bhigdog]

Neg battery terminal always stays disconnected and StaBil always in non ethanol gas. Other than that I fire them up at least once a month get them up to temp, excercise all the motors and switches, and drive them back and forth in the garage. Never had a problem......Bob

[keithb7]

As the weather cools and winter approaches here in Canada, I put my cars in the garage. I don't heat the garage, but they are enclosed and safe from all the elements.

 

The cars are not totally dead. Just not easily drivable. I fire them up when the weather is decent. I back them out of the garage. One car has year round insurance on it. I'll take it out for a brief drive if there is no snow, and the streets are clean and dry.  The other car, although not legal, I will probably go around the block here in my rural area once in a while. 

 

I rotate one 6V battery tender between the two cars. It goes on one car battery for about 2-3 weeks. Then onto the other. I repeat the process all winter. I fire the cars up probably every 4 weeks and roll them around in and out of the garage at the least, when the snow is all over the roads. I let the engines fully warm up.  I work the brakes. Old wheel cylinders tend to develop leaks if they sit un-moving for long periods. I like to get the tires rotated too. So the bulging tire part sitting on the shop floor gets a break.  I'll change the engine oil and filter at some point over the winter too. 

 

I guess my cars sorta semi-hibernate. I like to keep the cars somewhat moveable all winter.  In my experience when these old cars sit, they start to degrade.  At least some system or other in the car is degrading. The more miles I put on my old '38, the more reliable it is. I'll use that ideology as my guide through the cold Canadian winter.

[Guest]

48 minutes ago, keithb7 said:

The more miles I put on my old '38, the more reliable it is. I'll use that ideology as my guide through the cold Canadian winter.

I agree.  My Pontiac has been out year round as my daily driver since 1959.  Here it is in Manitoba in the winter of 73/74.  Soon after we moved to BC.  Vancouver Island has much nicer winters.

[JamesR]

I put Sta-bil in the tank to keep the gas fresh, although when I've forgotten to do that the gas still seems to work ok after several months. I think Sea Foam might also help in this respect.

I check the anti-freeze for efficacy every fall. Try for a minimum of 30 below in most locations. 40 below is better, though. Change out coolant when needed.

I keep the windows up in the car to keep rodents out, even though I no longer store cars in mouse infested environments. Keep Bounce dryer sheets and rodent repellent (from farm stores) in car.

 

[Paul Dobbin]

I seal up the big barn doors and turn on the propane heater to 40 degrees.  That way when we get a

sunny, dry day above 50 degrees,  we can go for a ride.   Call a few friends and enjoy our cars on back roads looking for yard art that has been hidden all summer by kudzu and leaves.

[John_S_in_Penna]

30 minutes ago, Paul Dobbin said:

I seal up the big barn doors and turn on the propane heater to 40 degrees. 

 

Paul, above, brings up a good point.

How many of our forum members heat their garages?

To just above frost, or warmer?

Is it vital to do so?

And what are the benefits of a heated garage?

[padgett]

If it ever drops under 32F, the governor declares a state of emergency.

[Paul Dobbin]

14 hours ago, John_S_in_Penna said:

 

Paul, above, brings up a good point.

How many of our forum members heat their garages?

To just above frost, or warmer?

Is it vital to do so?

And what are the benefits of a heated garage?

  The big benefit is nothing freezes down in the barn.  It does have a concrete floor which according to code makes it a garage.

  When set at 40 degrees I can go there an bump it up to 55 in and in 15 minutes it's comfortable to get some work done.

  Otherwise I'd be housebound for the winter.  When I added the propane heat, I had blown in insulation added to the underside

  of the roof above the sissor trusses.  I can do anything except paint in there in the winter.

[JACK M]

Propane heaters except in a furnace will draw a lot of moisture.

Don't just turn on Mr. ready heat and walk away.

My main storage building has a natural gas furnace and I set it at 45 degrees in the winter.

I wish I could say that all my stuff gets stored this way, but the project junkers are at least out of the weather, just not heated.

[bill pritchett]

I use a cattle prod to get the mice.  However, staying awake 24 hours a day in the winter makes for a very long winter.  It's nice when spring arrives and I can sleep.

[padgett]

Cats sleep when nothing is going on. Learned that in USAF.

[Ed Luddy]

I'm trying bleach pucks this year. Up here in the frozen wasteland mice are always looking for a nice interior to snooze in and tasty wiring to chew on. Dryer sheets do nothing but make a nice blanket for the rodents.

[StylishOne]

bleach pucks?

[J.H.Boland]

All but my oldest car,a '21 Chevy,are kept in running condition year round. I check the antifreeze in the fall,and that's about it. The oldest cars rate a propane furnace,the rest are in cold storage. I used to use car covers,but they seem to attract condensation. My insurance company advised against putting them up on blocks,in case they had to be removed quickly. Most of the old cars have been stored this way from 30 to forty years with no ill effects.

[60FlatTop]

I have had a residential gas furnace in my garage since I built it in 1988. Originally I used it on an as needed basis when I did work. That was usually frequent enough to keep the slab of the floor somewhat warm. I think it was 6 seasons ago that I installed a network based thermostat and started maintaining 42 degrees as a minimum. As mentioned, nothing in the garage freezes including liquids and chemicals. I do bring paints into the house where they can be kept around 70.

Our winter design temperature is 5 degrees below zero F. My cost per season has been about $300 and I keep four cars in there.

Real winter usually holds off to the middle of December (always have a green Christmas scare). January and February are cold but there is usually a thaw and suitable driving weather for a few days in each month. My cars are always ready to drive and I will get them out on a nice day.

Many days I will run the heat up to 70 and spend the day in the garage.

 

It can get to looking pretty cold and lonesome out there.

[padgett]

I remember standing in the parking lot of Delco-Remy. The sun was not yet up, the wind was blowing, and was well below zero F. Was thinking "I left Florida to work here for 20 years to be able to return to Florida ?" Within six months was back in a warm no-income-tax state where the most popular TV commercial was about a giant armadillo that knocked over beer trucks.

[cutlasguy]

Heated garages are nothing but rust incubators! As soon as you open the door in the winter, your car immediately gets soaked with condensation.Keep the temperature the same inside and outside. Also, my neighbor has cats that patrol outside my garage daily. I have the plug in ultrasonic rodent repellent too! Bounce Drier Sheets help arbitrarily with mice , but what have you got to lose? With them your car always smells fresh. No stale storage smell.

[ArticiferTom]

A ceiling fan running all the time . it mixes temperature and humidity to it's lowest state in that environment . Lessens condensation . I use electric for heat to help keep air dry .

[Ed Luddy]

I've read about using chlorine pucks for swimming pools. It's really strong and make sure its in a spill proof tub so it doesn't destroy your carpet.

[ArticiferTom]

Might the chlorine be a little to corrosive if it gets damp ?   I would use bait boxes first . but usually avoid because of local cats . Just keep traps with peanut butter around . .

[Ed Luddy]

I have to store my cars away from home so I have no winter access. Makes for a long winter and worrying about varmints!

 

[Morgansdad]

I have a Car Coon.  I know it sounds funny but it works as it should. I just clean the car at the end of the season and drive it into the deflated cacoon. You then pull the cover over the car and plug it up. The motor inflates the cacoon and keeps the air circulating.  No dust, no mice, very little effort. Then, if I get a pretty day, just deflate it, unzip it and drive off. No complaints.

[StylishOne]

Where do I find it ? How much? 

[JACK M]

Showed up on a Gooogle search instantly.

Car Coon.

[Morgansdad]

Stylish One, Sorry for the delay. Here's the website where I got mine. It is the 16 ft. one and it was $475.00 I keep my Model A in one and I have one for my Corvette Stingray.

[Morgansdad]

StylishOne, Sorry again !   

carcapsule.com

[Stude Light]

I used a Car Capsule in the past when I stored my car in my "farm" barn over the winter.  Barn was built in the late 30's, concrete floor and originally used for hay and livestock so had a few roof leaks, big sliding doors with lots of gaps, plenty of ways for mice and critters to get in, etc. but was pretty good protection from the sun, wind, rain and snow.  The capsule worked great to eliminate any rodent issues. I set mouse traps in the capsule and in the car, just in case, and never caught one.  A trap set in the barn would catch something within an hour. It also kept the car dust free.  Although the little fan keeps air circulating, it's not an environmentally controlled device so your car is subject to the changing outdoor temperatures.  The one issue I didn't like, which typically happened towards the end of winter....super cold out, then the next day it warms up and gets a bit humid.  Look inside the Car Capsule and the car is soaked in condensation (no different if it was just sitting outside of the capsule). As the car and all the metals reaches equilibrium to the outside temp, the condensation goes away and the fan keeps air circulating.  I say this as the Car Capsule will not prevent this problem although the condensation may be a bit shorter lived in the capsule due to the moving air.

 

I'm fortunate now to have an environmentally controlled pole barn (heat in winter, dehumidification in summer).  Cars, machinery, tools all stay totally rust free due to controlling the humidity. Before heated outbuildings or garage, I used to use Boeshield T9 on my tools, drill press, lathe, etc. to keep them all rust free during the temperature swings and resulting condensation.  I still use it on some of the parts of my cars for the same (sparkplugs, "oiled" bolts, etc.). It's really good stuff and leaves a dry waxy film rather than oily.

 

I used spray foam insulation in the walls of my pole building which I believe is a great way of eliminating mice.  I set three traps in there and re-peanut butter them every 6 months or so - have not caught a mouse in the 4 years since insulating.  I catch plenty in my home's insulated attached garage and home's attic space.

[Morgansdad]

I have both cars in a temperature controlled garage. I use the capsule mainly for the mice although I've never seen one. I just don't want to take any chances. It seems to keep the cars cleaner tho.

[padgett]

I suspect the squirrels here drive the mice away.

[Marty Roth]

On 10/13/2020 at 7:50 PM, Ed Luddy said:

I have to store my cars away from home so I have no winter access. Makes for a long winter and worrying about varmints!

 

 

Ask Mark Shaw about his mouse device - INGENIOUS !!