How Do You Store Your Car For The Winter

I've had a few cars that I didn't winter drive, but always wonder what the best way to store them is? I find the Murci produces a lot of water (condensation in the exhaust) when you start it up, so I'm thinking starting it every month or two will just cause more damage since it can't dry out the exhaust system. Also I find the wheels get flat spots. Sadly our winter is from mid October to May, so poor cars sit WAY to long. Just curious if anyone else stores thier cars and what they do?

move to southern Cali, the roadster was made for it.

Thats the plan Working here is just a means to an end! Love Cali

Depends on how far down the rabbit hole you want to go.

 

I'd put the car on jack stands, drain the fuel, pull the battery put a trickle charger on it, then pull the wheels and put them in a wheel rack and throw a cover over the car and call it good until fairer weather arrives.

1. Fill tank with gas.

2. Fill tires with a bit extra air.

3. Apply battery tender.

4. Pray for early spring and/or early road rock removal.

5. Check California real-estate listings and curse myself for living in a snow-forsaken land.

Amen.... Thats the other crap thing, it takes half the summer to sweep up the rocks

1. Fill tank with gas.

2. Fill tires with a bit extra air.

3. Apply battery tender.

 

 

 

Yeah fill the tank so you don't get condensation. I don't worry too much about flatspotting as I idle the vehicle every couple weeks and move it a few inches. I used to use tire cradles but I found they were excessive. Plug the car into a trickle charge and you're good. Most winters I don't even use a trickle charger.

Send you car to LA for storage. I'd gladly look after it for you since I have an extra garage space that I'm hoping to fill with an LP700 soon...

Once you park your car do not start it until you are able to go for a drive and burn off condensation,in the oil, the people who idle it in the garage are getting everything warm and then shutting it down without getting it hot enough to get rid of the condensation. Tires dont flat spot anymore that is a myth left over from bias ply tires of old. Also add fuel stabilizer to the tank and hook up a trickle charger. I have 4 cars I store over winter and the most important thing is fuel stabilizer,the trickle charger and having a heated or climate controlled garage. Cold temps make rubber brittlle and you want to control the humidity I have never had a flat spot or engine problem and I never start the cars until I'm able to go for a good long drive

Lots of opinions here.... makes me feel like I need to come up with one!

 

Ship to summer home down south!

Yeah 4 months of summer 8 months winter is not ideal for Lamborghini ownership. We have a lot of Lamborghini's in the city and they're all in the shop with the same issues. Leaking shocks, seals, etc. Despite how people love buying low mileage cars, sitting is the worst thing for these cars. After a few good regular drives in the spring you can feel the car come back to life. I used to start the car every once and a while, but as Sonny said I think the engine doesn't get hot enough to dry out the condensation, and I've heard of the condensation in the exhaust rusting out the cats from the inside. I do agree, moving somewhere warmer is the way to go, but until then I guess I have to walk by the Lambo in the garage every morning for 8 months! It's like a naked supermodel in your bed behind glass! Torture

 

Yeah fill the tank so you don't get condensation. I don't worry too much about flatspotting as I idle the vehicle every couple weeks and move it a few inches. I used to use tire cradles but I found they were excessive. Plug the car into a trickle charge and you're good. Most winters I don't even use a trickle charger.

Same exact thing for me - but the last two winters I've put stabilizer in the fuel. Thoughts on this - Good/Bad/No difference?

 

Same exact thing for me - but the last two winters I've put stabilizer in the fuel. Thoughts on this - Good/Bad/No difference?

 

I've always read that oxidation is what causes the fuel to go bad...so if you fill up the gas tank, there is then not enough oxygen in the gas tank to cause significant oxidization. I put fuel stabilizer in the gas tank the first winter I had my Gallardo, but not in any of the subsequent five years...I've never had a problem.

Down here in Texas, we get cold weather but not much snow or rain. Even so, I found the AWD in my ex-Murci Roadster wasn't half bad in the shitty weather.

However, do you guys who store your car for winter use Stabil for the fuel? Anyone put them up on jacks?

Same exact thing for me - but the last two winters I've put stabilizer in the fuel. Thoughts on this - Good/Bad/No difference?

I have had fuel stabilizer foul up my plugs in a motorcycle once.. Brand new motorcycle. I used the exact ratio's they suggest and filler my tank full of fuel.. Cost me $500 the next year to get the plug replaced due to its location.

 

I never use stabilizer since then, just fill the tank to the top.

 

 

Change the oil, wash the car, store to constant temp / humidity air ventilated house where nobody drives daily in and out.. and nobody can see inside the building.

 

Then at the storage house, I just take battery off and leave it windows little bit open (because of frameless doors.)

I hand keys to house owner in case of some of the other classic cars starts to burn etc...

 

Put the car on "hibernation insurance" etc...

 

Then wait 7 months, and try not to think about the car at all.

I have had fuel stabilizer foul up my plugs in a motorcycle once.. Brand new motorcycle. I used the exact ratio's they suggest and filler my tank full of fuel.. Cost me $500 the next year to get the plug replaced due to its location.

 

I never use stabilizer since then, just fill the tank to the top.

 

Pretty much impossible, it's not an oil or carbon type liquid that could do that..I have used stabil in all cars , bikes and snowmobiles for over 20 years.best thing to do

I've always read that oxidation is what causes the fuel to go bad...so if you fill up the gas tank, there is then not enough oxygen in the gas tank to cause significant oxidization. I put fuel stabilizer in the gas tank the first winter I had my Gallardo, but not in any of the subsequent five years...I've never had a problem.

 

 

So you think there's no oxygen in the tank. Your tank is vented you know. Gas turns to a varnish like substance. Fuel stabilizer stops that

It's AWD, why store it?

Sorry I really have no suggestions when it comes to winter storage but I know how frustrating it is no to be able to drive the car.

Wash car.

Over inflate tires.

Hook to trickle charger.

Fill gas tank and add Stabil.

Car cover if it's in storage - no car cover so we can enjoy the artwork if its in the garage.

 

Also for winter - forced air ventilation for garage which allows us to enjoy cigars in the garage amidst the "auto - art" without stinking up the cars or the house

 

For cars stored in the garage we do occasionally start them and run them up/down the driveway if conditions are clear. We never put chemicals on the driveway and will only take cars on the street if winter chemicals have dispersed after a couple good rain storms (which usually means we wait until spring but every so often there is a mid-winter thaw with rain that clears the roads enough to drive on them).

 

The Lambo ALWAYS stays at home. This winter the Porsche and zeeeoooosix will go offsite to a private HVAC controlled car storage facility. Here

area few photos. The guy built it for himself and some friends and decided to rent. It's strictly word of mouth by referral. It's a very cool place. The guy's wife designed the diner style "break" room so he could have a nice place to sit with friends and have coffee during the winter. If you gotta store a car in Pittsburgh - this has to be THE place to do it. He has a long waiting list. Its so clean you could eat off the floor and he doesn't allow in/out access. There are outlets for trickle chargers. He has excellent security/surveillance. And he's a great guy!

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