Storage question

Joined
2 March 2003
Messages
4,344
Location
San Francisco
In a few months I am going to store my car for six months or more. I've read the information available in the search section, and that pertains to having the car sit. My question is: Would it be better to have a storage facility where, say once a month, the car would be started and allowed to run for a while, and perhaps even be moved around rather than just let it sit?

Thanks in advance.

Doug
 
Leave it be!

It is better to let it sit for those six months without starting it. The biggest reason is the engine oil "settles" and not all the parts in your engine that need to be lubricated, are lubricated. Therefore, every month you start your car, it is a "hard start" for the engine. It is better to only have to do this once after you are done storing, rather than six times during storage.
 
I've heard of people changing their oil just prior to winter storage and leaving the engine one quart low, so that when they go and start it up in the Spring, they dump that last quart in before starting it for the first time. I have no idea how effective this is, if even at all, so don't qoute me on it.
I personally don't worry about it... I just start it, let it run a little, then drive it. I figure it's only going to be started 'dry' once a year, so whatever wear there is will be minimal.
Doug, one thing you will want to do once a month, is run the AC to keep it lubricated, w/o starting your car. You might already know this from search, but just in case.

Hope it helps,
Dave
 
There's no problem starting it in spring. Just start it up. Assuming you've done something to keep the battery from draining, of course.

BTW, I don't think you can run the A/C without starting the engine...
 
PHOEN$X --

Are you reading this? Now is the time to respond.

Doug
 
Doug - I've never put a car into long term storage before, but it seems that folks have different takes on this issue:

http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=6084

As busy as I've been lately, I haven't been able to drive my NSX more than 1-2 times a month. I don't do anything special other than to leave it on a battery tender when I'm not driving it, and it seems fine.

Anyway, my offer is still open. I would be willing to start your car as often (or little) as you'd like, and perform any other tasks you deem necessary. Contact me if you want to explore this option.
 
I put my car away on November 1st every year. I do not start, drive, or move it until the last week in March or first week in April. This is the same way I have always treated all of my Porsches as well. Never had any issues.

PS- if you have old wheels to let the car sit on, that will keep the tires from flatr-spotting and make sure the gas tank is 100% full.

Aaron
 
To better inform the readers of this thread; I mentioned that I had a lot of questions regarding the storage of my car for a period of six or more months. My major question was should I put it into "cold" storage, or as one of the guys here in Santa Barbara, that handles LOTS of Lambos, Ferraries, etc. suggested, have it started up a few times a months and also have it moved around.

On the SW regionalpost, I asked for some suggestions as to where I couldn store my car for six months or more. Our friend Phoeni$x, as a joke offered his place. As a fellow NSX owner, and as some of you know, I have owned more than one, I really didn't think it so much as a joke, but ruther as a great idea.

I was really interested in giving him my car for six or what ever months in order to start, drive, etc.. at his house.

I have never spoken with him, don't know him, but with several thousand posts, he is certaintly a NSX idiot like the rest of us. He mentioned in one of his post to me the we are a community and the we all look after one another. Like I said, I've never spoken with him, but would very seriously considering shipping my car to him to Phoenix, after speaking with and visiting with him, to let him look after it, after we resolve insurance questions, etc.. We both want to make sure there is no libability on either part.

NOW BACK TO THE BACIC QUESTION. DO YOU PARK IT FOR SIX MONTHS OR DRIVE IT AROUND THE BLOCK A FEW TIMES A MONTH. I am sure we both have the best interest at hear.


As a side point, if anyone has previous knowledge of Phoeni$x arrest records, previous car theft record, seen his photo at the post office, or seen any activity regarding scams, please pm me.... just kidding. He has already told me about driving record, storage facility,etc.

Sorry for the long post, but I am so impressed by the close group we have, plus what a great guy he is.

Regards,

Doug
 
Web links on long term auto storage that you may find useful:

http://www.theolympian.com/home/specialsections/Auto/20030915/100714.shtml
http://www.midcomustang.com/vehicle_storage_mustang.html
http://www.google.com/groups?hl=en&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&q=long+term+auto+storage

http://www.startribune.com/stories/435/4184058.html
Paul Brand: Winterizing your ride

Published November 1, 2003 CARE01

I've been quite diligent this fall in winterizing my summer equipment -- lawn mowers, weed whackers, boats, watercraft, etc. I've changed oil and filters, lubricated everything that moves, cleaned or replaced air filters, sharpened blades, drained cooling systems, filled fuel systems and fogged cylinders. But I've put off putting away my old Corvette because of the continuing nice weather. Until this past week, that is. Now that summer has finally surrendered to fall, it's time.

Time to park the favorite "ride" until spring. Now, before I start on the "put-it-away-for-winter" checklist, let me review the results of my continuing 27-year scientific evaluation of the comparison of benefits vs. effort in the wide-ranging techniques of storing a motor vehicle for winter. And no, I didn't receive a governmental grant to conduct this test.

I actually drove my 1970 Corvette to Minnesota from my Virginia home in the spring of 1977. When I left the South, the grass was green, flowers were beginning to bloom, lawn mowers were firing up and there was at least a little warmth to the sunshine. Upon arriving in Minnesota, it promptly snowed, then snowed again, and in May, snowed one more time. Hmmm, had I made a mistake in choosing where to make my new life?

Not to worry. A beautiful summer convinced me of the wisdom of my choice and gave me plenty of time to plan for storing my Corvette for the winter. By late October, I had prepared a multi-page checklist of services to perform before finally closing the garage door on the 'Vette for the winter.

And I faithfully spent hour upon hour doing everything possible to preserve my treasure -- from pulling spark plugs to fogging each cylinder to placing the vehicle on jack stands and lowering tire pressures. From vacuuming, washing and waxing to changing virtually every fluid in the vehicle.

The next spring when I "unstored" the car for the season, it ran just fine. No harm, no foul; winter storage had taken no apparent toll on the vehicle.

Over the next two decades, I continued to prepare this vehicle for storage each winter, but scientifically "edited" the checklist, removing a service or two each year, and monitoring the results the next spring. Are you buying this? All right, I confess. . . . I just got lazier each year.

After 27 years, my total investment of time and energy in storing this vehicle for the winter is to fill the fuel tank with non-oxy fuel, add a can of SeaFoam, toss a few dryer sheets onto the carpets, park the car in the garage, disconnect the battery and, if I'm motivated, put on its car cover.

That's it. That's all I do. Oh, yeah, I put a charger on the battery once or twice a winter to keep it charged, but that's absolutely it.

And, I can report that my multi-year test has confirmed one absolute reality. Not operating a motor vehicle for six months or less is not "storage" -- it's long-term parking. As such, you really don't have to obsess over preparations for winter.

On a sidebar note, I will acknowledge that the newer or more expensive the "toy," the more time and effort the owner is likely to invest in preparation for winter. I mean, I've owned this Corvette for more than 30 years and stored it for 25 winters; how motivated can I be?

But the bottom line is this: With a minimum of preparation, parking your favorite vehicle for the winter won't hurt it, won't make the vehicle mad at you and won't leave you with a ton of expensive repairs next spring.

Just make sure it's clean, dry and full of non-oxy fuel with SeaFoam. Throw a couple of dryer sheets inside to discourage little critters from homesteading the interior, and cover it with a breatheable cover if you're worried about keeping it clean.

You can even cover the vehicle and park it outside for the winter. The low temperatures slow or stop most chemical processes, and mechanical devices don't "feel" cold like we do. I did this last winter with my BMW with no lasting detrimental effects.

Don't bother starting it unless you just have to hear the melody from the pipes, or are terribly concerned about the R12 air conditioning. If you must, wait for one of the 25-plus-degree days that seem to occur about once a month, fire it up (outside or with the garage door open, of course), let it warm up fully with the heat set on high, and then run the A/C for a few minutes. Put the sound track from the movie "Grand Prix" in the CD player while you do this, and you won't be bored.

The bottom line on parking your favorite ride for winter? You can do as much as you want to winterize your vehicle, but you really don't have to do much at all.

To submit a question, write to Paul Brand, Star Tribune, 425 Portland Av. S., Minneapolis, MN 55488. Please explain the problem in as much detail as possible and please include your daytime phone number in case I need more information. Because of the volume of mail received, it isn't always possible to send a personal reply.
 
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I agree. I have let my car sit for 4-6 months every winter without starting it, with no problems whatsoever.

I don't even do anything special with the fuel. I've never heard of no-oxy fuel or Sea Foam; the advice I've heard from those who add a fuel stabilizer is to add Sta-Bil to the tank.
 
Fellow NSXer's

I have never spoken with him, don't know him, but with several thousand posts, he is certaintly a NSX idiot like the rest of us. He mentioned in one of his post to me the we are a community and the we all look after one another. Like I said, I've never spoken with him, but would very seriously considering shipping my car to him to Phoenix, after speaking with and visiting with him, to let him look after it, after we resolve insurance questions, etc.. We both want to make sure there is no libability on either part.


Doug [/B][/QUOTE]

I met Kelvin at this years NSXPO. I was fortunate to talk and spend some time with him.

I could only say that he is a great guy and your NSX will be in good hands. I am sure when you meet him in person, then you will know what I am talking about. Than again you might already know this.

Randy(FuryNsx) and Conrad(Powered by Honda) would agree with me. I think they might even be able to add few more good things about Kelvin.

Have a great time traveling.

Kenny
 
blush.gif
Thank you for the kind words, guys. I am just NSX-crazy like everyone else on this forum.
crazy.gif


Have a great weekend!
 
K2 said:
I met Kelvin at this years NSXPO. I was fortunate to talk and spend some time with him.

I could only say that he is a great guy and your NSX will be in good hands. I am sure when you meet him in person, then you will know what I am talking about. Than again you might already know this.

Randy(FuryNsx) and Conrad(Powered by Honda) would agree with me.
So would I!!!

I would be happy to leave my NSX with Kelvin.
 
My car has been stored outside for the winter for 10 years. I've never used fuel stabalizer and the tank has been half empty a few times. I've started it once every two weeks or every month depending on the temp. Now I plug in a Schumacher charger and leave the car sit until spring. I don't use a cover and as long as people in my block only write "wash me" on the window it's OK.
 
Hay Tony. Please don't misunderstand me, but what kind of condition is your car in? Ten years, outside in the winter, no cover.

I had my first NSX when I lived in Scotland so I didn't have a choice but to drive it in the rain, and it was a daily driver. With the one I have now, no rain trips, detailed engine compartment, clayed every few months, etc. And yes, I realize it just a car, but I like to keep it as pristine as possible.
 
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