Winter is just on the doorstep here in New England, and I am debating with myself what to do with my 01 VDP. This will be its second winter up here, and I do NOT want to drive it when there is salt on the roads. So that means about a 3.5 month layup. And it will need to be outside for the duration.

Last winter, I just parked it and started it whenever I could. But in January-February, during the worst of the snows, on a couple of occasions I couldn't get to it for ten days or so at a crack. When this past Spring came, the car was rather unhappy until I had driven it maybe a half dozen times. The ABS/Trac light would come on a lot, and I even had the knock sensor failure code show up a couple of times. These maladies subsided with more driving.

Anyway, this winter I was wondering whether I should do anything different. I could run an extension cord to the trunk(boot) and run a trickle charger. But is that a good plan for the entire winter? With the trunk closed? Alternatively, I was thinking of shutting the car down electrically, removing the battery, and letting it sit inert until Spring. Would that cause any unintended problems? After such a layover, I would imagine it would need some cranking with the fuel pump de-fused, to get the oil going again.

Anyone have opinions on this, or other strategies?

 

Having a car sit for a few months should not be a problem - I have a couple on trickle charger all the time. Some cars drain batteries and others don't -- and obviously a newer higher capacity battery is better able to handle the drain. I bet the battery was a bit weak when you first fired it up. My XJR can sit for two months and fire right up -- but I remember my 98 VDP would often need a boost??

The one thing I don't do is start them unless I am going to drive them -- you are not doing anything positive for them -- the engines don't need exercise. And when you do start them it is best to take it for a drive.

Get a good trickle charger and a car cover and leave it alone.

 

+1 on that advice!

Conversely remove the battery and keep it inside with a tender attached.