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This. I told my real estate agent I'm looking for a bungalow with a 4-stall garage, no pool, and [USER=18194]@Honcho[/USER] and [USER=26435]@Old Guy[/USER] for neighbours.At the risk of sounding glib, it's in the owner's manual (p 226) on storage, which is what I follow, even though I'm not sure the original engineers were contemplating caring for 30-year-old cars:Fill the fuel tank. (I agree with [USER=26435]@Old Guy[/USER] 's perception; 100% full, premium, no stabilizer added.)Change the engine oil and filter. (Mobil 1 FS. New oil in the fall so it's sitting with the cleanest oil possible - seems like cheap insurance).Wash and dry the exterior completely. (I also wax.)Clean the interior. Make sure the carpeting, floor mats, etc. are completely dry.Leave the parking brake off.Put the transmission in Reverse (manual) or Park (automatic).Block the rear wheels. (Not sure why the tranny matters then. Belts & braces? I leave it in Neutral.)If the car is to be stored for a longer period, it should be supported on jackstands so the tires are off the ground. (There was a previous thread on this that thought the suspension could be damaged, but this is what the owner's manual recommends. Mine sat for 3-4 months while I had the steering rack rebuilt.) Unfortunately, "longer period" is not defined. a month? a year? 25 years next to an active welding location because your insurance rates went up?Leave one window open slightly if the car is being stored indoors. (I add a Sta-Dri to the trunk.)Disconnect the battery. (I use a Manual battery shut-off. Parasitic losses won't drain my LiFePO4 battery, even though it has it's own low-voltage shut-off around 25% capacity. Probably should remove the battery and store it indoors if you're using lead-acid and the temp is going below freezing.)Support the front wiper blade arms with a folded towel or rag so they do not touch the windshield.To minimize sticking, apply a silicone spray lubricant to all door and trunk seals. (I use shinitsu on all the rubber.) Also, apply a vehicle body wax to the painted surfaces that mate with the door and trunk seals.Cover the car with a "breathable" cover, one made from a porous material such as cotton. Nonporous materials, such as plastic sheeting, trap moisture, which can damage the paint. (I used to cover it with an indoor cover, but seeing it every time I go to the garage from something from the freezer puts such a smile on my face, I leave it uncovered now and just dust it every now and then.)If possible, run the engine for a while periodically. (I haven't been doing this because "cold starts" are supposed to be a high-wear activity, but maybe I should for the A/C seals? It goes to -15 in my garage. Wish I could take it out on an occasional nice day like [USER=4282]@docjohn[/USER] , but no way I'm letting it get exposed to road salt/residue.)I add:A complete Leatherique treatment to all leather.I just pump the tires to rated, but I move the car manually every few weeks - never had flat spots yet.My other concern is humidity. It's very humid year-round in our little pocket surrounded by the great lakes. I'm always blown away by the rust-free condition of 40-year-old cars in Arizona, although their leather seats are toast. I use a dehumidifier in my garage to keep the moisture <40% year round. Have to use a desiccant dehumidifier since it goes well below freezing here. My research has never yielded the optimal humidity for storage, balancing metal and leather components.In fairness though, I don't think I've had a winter yet that didn't have some sort of maintenance, which significantly modifies the above.
This. I told my real estate agent I'm looking for a bungalow with a 4-stall garage, no pool, and [USER=18194]@Honcho[/USER] and [USER=26435]@Old Guy[/USER] for neighbours.
At the risk of sounding glib, it's in the owner's manual (p 226) on storage, which is what I follow, even though I'm not sure the original engineers were contemplating caring for 30-year-old cars:
I add:
In fairness though, I don't think I've had a winter yet that didn't have some sort of maintenance, which significantly modifies the above.