Tucked away for the winter
 

It's that time of year again. She stays in the garage and I will change the oil and filter and keep her put until April 1.

Took mine off the road a couple of weeks ago. I put my MPSS in warm storage and leave her in the backyard on winter rims/tires. A little bit of dielectric grease on the wndow seals to prevent freeze up and she's done.

is it better to change the oil before or after storage?

I've done both through various vehicles. On the FR-S I've been in the habit of changing before storage. Can't remember where I read it but there are varying schools of thought on the subject. Something about acidity in the oil after it breaks down after use. Best to drain it out and put fresh stuff in, despite the fact that the oil will take on some water through condensation over winter - most of which will burn off at initial start up and when the engine reaches operating temp.

My routine is simple:

1. Change the oil.
2. Change the wheels/tires to put performance tires away in warmer part of the house.
3. Raise tire pressures 1-3psi over stock for storing.
4. Clean the entire car - inside and out (it's just nice to take it out in the Spring on a sunny day and have it ready to use and shine).
5. Add fuel stabilizer and run for 5 min.
6. Park the car on top of a tarp to prevent moisture from transmitting from the concrete to the body. Roll the car onto foam pads under the tires to limit movement while sitting and increase longevity of the storage tires.
7. Block the wheels and leave the car out of gear and with the ebrake down (not engaged) to prevent the brakes from sticking and eliminate transmission stress while sitting.
8. Place dryer sheets around the engine bay, wiring, in the trunk, and one on each front floor mat to leave the car smelling fresh and to keep rodents out.
9. Plug in with simple trickle charger (I use the Noco 750 for battery maintenance).
10. Cover and wait until Spring.

That's a lot of work. You have to have a 2nd car for winters? Here, sometimes it gets under 50 degrees so I run the heater.

What's winter?


Said every Floridian ever.

The thing that either shortens the car's life by 50%, or the time you can enjoy it by 50%.

Said every Ontarian ever.

Or you know, just drive it year round and not worry about the eventual ruination of your car decades from now.

Meh. Not a 1980 Chevette. The life is only shortened by about 10% these days.

In the 7 years I have owned this car I have read many suggestions for storage.

In my case, fuel stabilizer, trickle charger and an oil change suffice. Also, I use chocks rather than allowing the parking brake to seize.

I see no necessity to store the winter tires in a warm place. The difference it makes would not justify the trouble IMHO. And, I am on my second set of MPSS with no issue. My guess is the far majority of people skip that step.

There is a toyota PDF which contains guidelines for dealers on long term lot storage. The only thing that stood out for me was cycling the AC/defrost when the vehicle was started. I guess to dry things out around the heater core.
As far as an oil change, I dont bother as I don't have many kms on the oil anyway. From my experience with 4stroke snowmobiles, oil picks up acidic contamination from the combustion process and that can lead to bearing etching in long tern storage. So the manual said.
Summer tires cracking in the cold is a pretty well known issue. Michelins own recommendations say that MPSS shouldn't be stored at or even on the car at -5 C. We had a few chilly nights (just below freezing) before I could swap my tires and I took a few last rides on 8-9 degree days. Cooler days with that rubber hard like a hockey puck really accelerated the tire wear.

Always before storage

It's when Florida gets rammed with pasty old folk looking for a bronze makeover...

I've done oil changes before and after I stored the car. The last couple of years, I stopped doing the before but I ALWAYS immediately change the oil as soon as I bring it back out.

Hasn't negatively affected me whatsoever.

Oh Florida...

https://wtfflorida.com/blog/wp-conte...us-florida.jpg

What is this "storage" you speak of? I'm confused.

http://www.seriesblueadventures.com/...17/04/03-2.jpg

Winter, AKA Drifting Season. Ours is a daily driver year round, my wife loves winter because she can use every possible excuse to put Hachi sideways.

Tucked away for the winter
 

Found out I was getting my old car back to use as a winter beater a few days back, which meant I could actually store my BRZ this year for the first time. But hey, not before she saw some snow on Friday...

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On Sunday I stored her away (my first time storing any vehicle), doing the following:

- Full tank of gas with Stabil, added at the Gas station so I could have a good 10 min drive before storage. I refrained from an oil change since I did one a couple of weeks ago, wasn’t expecting to store the car.
- Washed at my local touchless (underbody spray was the key here) with QuikDetailer to handle the waterspots and remaining latent dirt. Interior was cleaned last week.
- Windows cracked, dryer sheets and baking soda left in the car for moisture absorption and freshness
- metal scotch pads in the exhaust tips to prevent any unwanted guests
- car parked on two gym mats per tire, aired up to 40psi; in neutral and no handbrake, wheels chocked.
- battery tender JR plugged in (grounded it to one of the bolts on the strut tower)
- and my improvised car cover, just to keep the dust off.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...466066f1ef.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...1ef63bb800.jpg
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Good to go for next year!

[QUOTE=JBezugs;3154257]Found out I was getting my old car back to use as a winter beater a few days back, which meant I could actually store my BRZ this year for the first time. But hey, not before she saw some snow on Friday...

:drool:That color is awesome!:drool:

I couldn't find another car as fun in the snow, so the FR-S is my winter beater :) I admire those of you who put the car away though, I imagine it's fun to look forward to and bring out of storage. I used to get that with another car I had. It was nice to open the door on the first warm May morning to smell that same leather smell the car always had...

I usually would just take the terminals off the battery during storage though, never used a tender. Seemed like a waste of electricity for something that will inevitably need to be replaced anyway

Curious what track map that is above Mosport, is that Charlotte?

Thank you! Subaru doesn’t offer a factory green so I had to take matters into my own hands...


It’s the Daytona road course actually! I was at Daytona for the Rolex 24hrs this year, so I keep the track maps as the running tally of the IMSA races I’ve been to thus far. I’ve driven on the Mosport GP circuit as well.

[quote=JBezugs;3154705]Very cool, I should figured that one out but I was at a show at Charlotte last year and it's nearly identical.

I just put my baby to rest last week, before the first snow storm and follow the same recipe of last year: Put stabilizer on the gas, wax & cleaned inside/outside, put extra air on my wheels and one (I think) key thing: Since I store the car on my own garage, I try at least ONCE per week(of course if is not snowing) turn on the car outside my driveway for at least 10 mins. and whenever weather permits (no snow, dry roads) drive it for a couple of blocks. In this way I kept the battery "alive" and avoid any mark on the tires. No emergency brake (to avoid marks on the disk)and last, when car will back on the road, immediately change the oil. This "recipe" is very similar to the ones was wrote on this thread, but was given for a guy that collect classic cars and is the way he keep his cars on our Canadian Winters.


The bright side to store your car? you feel every spring like you have a brand new car! and after drive for few months a winter beater, appreciate even more your Hachi-Roku....

^^ Starting the car periodically is actually worse for it unless you're getting it up to full operating temp enough for the moisture in the oil to burn off, as well as burning all the condensation out of the exhaust. 10 minutes in your driveway definitely isn't long enough for that. You also won't ever see marks on the rotor from the e-brake on these cars, they have a drum e-brake inside the rear rotor. I agree with not using the e-brake though, at least if it seizes it'll seize off instead locking on.

I bought a winter beater this year which will be my primary vehicle but I'm keeping the BRZ on the road for when the weather is good and will use it to commute on days when the weather is good.

just buy a battery tender to keep the battery alive. they are around $35 bucks from homedepot.

Flori-dook-dook-doooooooooookkkk