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Well, this will be my first winter with my F-Type so I'm wondering what precautions I need to take getting her ready for winter. She'll be inside in my garage out of the elements. I've ordered one of the really nice covers from Coverking that should be here in a few days and already have a battery tender. Should I be using fuel system treatment?
When I get my bike ready for winter I always throw in a bottle of stabilizer and make sure the tank is full to prevent condensation.
IMO, if you do not plan to drive for months, you should absolutely add fuel stabilizer.
The "folklore" when I filled my 1200 gallon diesel trawler for the Winter was to fill/top off the tank to avoid condensation.
I am not sure this is the right strategy for gasoline with ethanol.
It is the ethanol that absorbs water and causes problems, so less gas/less ethanol might be a better approach.
But either way full or not, you should definitely add (ethanol gas) stabilizer.
Bes thing about not filling is that in the Spring you fill up with fresh gas and dilute out any old gas.
One other thing to consider is your tires.
You should over-inflate to 50 -55 psi to help avoid flat spots while the car is sitting.
If you have enough room to move the car, it is alo a good idea to move it so that the ires are not always in the same position.
This isn't related, but before I go at my key fob with a screwdriver, what's the best way to open it up to get the battery replaced? I have two, one works great, the other one has very limited range when being used to lock and unlock the doors.
I think I typically put 40-45psi in mine for storage, never had flat spots. Full tank of gas, battery tender, overinflate tires, keep varmints out. This will be the 9th winter storing the car, never had an issue. As I store mine in a zip-up car envelope, I include some desiccant inside the bag with the car, and mothballs on the outside. And I crack the windows slightly.
Or you could just drive your jag like I do during the winter months. My criteria: no snow, no ice, and no salt on the roads. I've done this with my
e type and continue with the f type. Usually a few days of 40 degree and I get to enjoy my jag. The coldest day was 15-20 degrees with the e type, heater was on, cabin was toasty. I also drive my jags in the rain. When asked about my driving behavior I say "let the next guy worry about it"
Frank
E type was sold 8/2019
I pretty much follow the comments made here, but I do have my own way of doing this "winter hibernation" trick and have never experienced a problem in 25 years. All of these hibernated cars (toys) have been of the high horsepower variety. My garages over the years have been attached to my various homes, never been heated and never a stand alone building....inside temperature never goes below 40 F. I mention that because the super cold weather (0 F or lower) in some locations, could cause me to change what I've been doing.
1) battery tender...and don't start the car unless you have a very good reason (like the garage is on fire). It's hard on the engine to start a car and not run it around to get the whole powertrain warmed up to full operating temperature. Your car will be just fine sitting there, snuggled up in it's cover.
2) full tank of gas and no stabilizer...at least in the USA, fresh fuel is good in your tank for 6 months, easy. The condensation issue is somewhat of a mute point, fuel tanks these days are of a composite or plastic construction. If you want to use stabilizer, go ahead....I've just never found it to be necessary in a garage kept car.
3) Boost air pressure in tires, at least 10 lb. over. I put my car tires on carpet remnants just because of concrete floors and an idiosyncrasy I have...steel belted tires are tough to form a flat spot and if they would, are completely gone within a 5 mile trip.
4) Put small wooden or rubber blocks under the wiper blade arms to get the rubber blades off the windshield...prevents them from getting curled up from sitting so long.
5) Place a couple of tins of rat/mouse poison under the car...one under the engine and one under the rear diff area. I've never had a problem with these critters, but friends of mine have and they love eating wires...can cost you very big bucks to fix and no insurance coverage.
6) Nice car cover works out well...throw a fresh dryer sheet in on the seat, helps stop any mustiness.
7) Depending on the miles that you have on the engine oil, you might want to change it depending on how long you intend to keep the car parked....anything under 2500-3000 miles it wouldn't be necessary unless you go over the one year oil change requirement should your car still be in the factory warranty. If you are in a timing bind on that issue, talk with your dealer and see what he might do for you.
8) Pray for an early Spring....no toy for that long stinks!
Good luck!
2) full tank of gas and no stabilizer...at least in the USA, fresh fuel is good in your tank for 6 months, easy.
I've just checked the files for my very little used "backup car" - the last fill up was three years after the previous one (I said it was very little used!) and I had no issues with the fuel after that length of time with the car sitting outside on my drive.
I always try to drive a car at least once a week, long enough to get everything up to normal temperature. Modern cars really don't like to sit. Sometimes I'll miss a week because the weather really won't cooperate, but its that doesn't happen too often. The weather in PA shouldn't be much different than here in NJ.
“Modern cars don’t really like to sit”….
can’t say that I’ve ever heard that comment before. In my area of PA, the roads are atrocious, covered with salt and anti skid (small stones and cinders). They tear up a car’s paint job besides getting it filthy. Driving it once a week, no problem, as long as you can see the filthy beast sitting in your garage that way. Putting a car down as I suggested, it’ll start up in an instant 4 months later, without a hitch. Done it with multiple Corvettes and Vipers, a Hellcat and a GT-R, all bought new. I’d rather hibernate my latest beauty, just like it’s predecessors.
In the winter, my driving is largely down the Interstate a few miles, and back. Those roads are clear and dry (less shade unless you have a lot of those Sound Walls) and if they DO apply cinders, the 18 wheelers blow it away in short order.
The interstates ARE treated with salt brine two days before snow is forecast around here. I try to avoid that stuff...
++++++++++++++
"Modern cars don't like to sit"
This is true, a modern car's computers are always drawing SOME current. The battery maintainer is one way to offset this. So are weekly drives of 30 - 45 minutes.
“Modern cars don’t really like to sit”….
can’t say that I’ve ever heard that comment before. In my area of PA, the roads are atrocious, covered with salt and anti skid (small stones and cinders). They tear up a car’s paint job besides getting it filthy. Driving it once a week, no problem, as long as you can see the filthy beast sitting in your garage that way. Putting a car down as I suggested, it’ll start up in an instant 4 months later, without a hitch. Done it with multiple Corvettes and Vipers, a Hellcat and a GT-R, all bought new. I’d rather hibernate my latest beauty, just like it’s predecessors.
Do some digging and you'll see all the things that don't like to sit. Everything from seals, to water causing corrosion in places you don't want, to animals making a nice home. There are proper procedures and environments for storing a car, but 99% of people don't do that. Which is why when I'm looking at used cars, there is such as thing as the mileage being too low. I would rather buy a 5 year old car with 8-10k miles than one with 1-2k unless I knew it was stored properly.
Well, it looks like this discussion on letting the car sit or not while in storage, has a lot of opinions. At least in my case with storing in winter with these beauties, I’ve never had any issues, ever! Maybe I’ve just been lucky. Obviously, the owner has his choices!
When I bought my 2021 in January, I failed to think about the annual (free) service..
So now to make the warranty is maintained, I need to get the car serviced between January 2 and February 28 each year.
Worst possible weather here in Massachusetts, except for the horrendous 90mph storm that just tore up trees and took down power everywhere around here yesterday.
The other challenge apart from the weather is that my local dealer (40 miles away) has a 3 month waiting list, so miss an appointment in early January because of weather, and I am screwed!!
So, the Mich. all-seasons get fitted next week and I am arranging 3 appointments at 3 different dealers. It may mean driving 60 miles instead of 40 miles but at least then I have a back-up plan.
I know we all love our cars and the F-Type with its low ground clearace is doubtless a challenge in ice and snow, but there are many other ( even more) expensive cars that get driven year round ( even those fancy $140K 8 cylinder Range Rovers!!).
I plan to use my car through the Winter but try not to subject it to ice and snow.
I have even identified a near-by DIY wam water car wash so that I can keep it reasonable clean without putting ice all over my driveway..
Well, it looks like this discussion on letting the car sit or not while in storage, has a lot of opinions. At least in my case with storing in winter with these beauties, I’ve never had any issues, ever! Maybe I’ve just been lucky. Obviously, the owner has his choices!
It depends how long you kept the cars. You likely could keep the cars 3-4 years and have no problems, its the next owner that could suffer. Although some mice making home in a bad spot or eating some wiring could happen at any time.
10-25-2021, 07:51 AM
Winterizing
