Winter storage advice

Mky77 · Post by **Mky77** » Tue Oct 10, 2023 10:19 am

I will soon be putting my e86 in the garage for winter but I’ve never stored a car over winter before so looking for advice on best practices.

I have a ctek charger and will increase tyre pressures.
I’ll put disposable dehumidifiers in car but what about fuel? Full tank or empty? Additives?

Anything else I should be doing?

tomscott · Post by **tomscott** » Tue Oct 10, 2023 10:44 am

Brim the tank don’t want any room for moisture to form.

Otherwise all you’ve said is all you need.

TBH considering the weather it’s probably a bit early and being a coupe… your choice

I put my M away because the tax is £695 a year but if the suns out and no salt it stays out.

Mky77 · Post by **Mky77** » Tue Oct 10, 2023 10:47 am

Hopefully I can wait till end of November. Don’t want it on salty roads as really clean underneath and only on 35k.
Do you recommend car covers?

darich · Post by **darich** » Tue Oct 10, 2023 10:57 am

Fuel wise, no additives will be necessary. I've had a motorbike sit for a year on a trickle charger. And it started and ran sweet as a nut with normal supermarket fuel in it and no additives.

Doddsy · Post by **Doddsy** » Tue Oct 10, 2023 2:44 pm

I’d leave the handbrake off

DMike · Post by **DMike** » Tue Oct 10, 2023 4:37 pm

Mky77 wrote: ↑Tue Oct 10, 2023 10:47 am Hopefully I can wait till end of November. Don’t want it on salty roads as really clean underneath and only on 35k.
Do you recommend car covers?

I’ve been happy using a light, breathable Cosmos cover when garaged over the winter. Size M is fine for the e85/6.

viewtopic.php?t=140717

Gazman · Post by **Gazman** » Sat Mar 16, 2024 3:36 pm

Hi all, not really any new information but having spent hours reading all the great advice on here, I put mine away for 3 months whilst abroad and have just got it out, started first time and runs beautifully. CTEK trickle charger on, fuel tank full, tyres inflated more, handbrake left off and moisture trap inside - all great advice, thank you

Mr Tidy · Post by **Mr Tidy** » Sat Mar 16, 2024 9:14 pm

Good to know it worked out fine Gazman.

Gazman · Post by **Gazman** » Fri Mar 22, 2024 8:16 pm

Quick update, after posting this a small issue has arisen............. after a week I started smelling 'weed' which got stronger ........

After reading some posts on here and after a really good check all over, I discovered a small patch of surface mould (light green) under one of the seats which is probably the source. A good clean, new cabin filter (what a pain that was to do - I'm not flexible enough I discovered

) and a aircon system cleaner (aerosol type) - it now smells like clean washing and should have done the trick.

I'm guessing that because I left it in my garage with the windows slightly down and a moisture absorber in the car, it must have 'drawn' the damp spores in from the garage (which has a slight damp issue being fixed soon) and created the mould (the car doesn't leak by the way - bone dry inside)..........

Something others may want to consider if planning the same.....

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