what do you guys do for storage/

[mainsoda]

This is my first winter with my Z4M Coupe. I am almost ready to put her to sleep in my storage space.
What do you guys do to your car to keep it happy for 4-6 months?

[wdb]

I keep it pretty simple. Full tank of treated, ethanol free gasoline and a smart charger. I also look for decent enough days to get it out for a few miles, but that doesn't always happen.

[Manxman1950]

Originally Posted by wdb

I keep it pretty simple. Full tank of treated, ethanol free gasoline and a smart charger. I also look for decent enough days to get it out for a few miles, but that doesn't always happen.

You may also want to increase tire pressures to reduce flat spots and place some cardboard under each contact patch. I lightly spray WD40 around the engine bay and put a bag of mothballs under the hood to deter any rodent that may get in the garage and fancy a midwinter snack on the wiring insulation. I also block the exhaust openings with some rag, after I found a chipmunk had stored his peanut stache in my wife’s Miata exhaust pipe🙂 Don’t start the car unless you have the opportunity to bring the fluids up to full operating temps.

[garz747]

Battery maintainer is critical! I use the Noco 3500 avail at cdn tire usually on sale 20% off every second week. Green light means fully charged! Full detail and car cover too.

[Twixboy]

I keep it relatively simple too. Oil change, full tank of gas, add fuel stabilizer, inflate tire pressure to 40psi, put laundry softener sheets in the cabin and trunk, back her into her spot and put a couple foam jigsaw mats underneath each tire, hook up the battery tender, and throw on the car cover. I know some guys on here will keep their cars in bubbles and stuff like that, but I don't have a nice MC like you all do. In fact I put some appropriate tires on her to drive her until the town starts throwing salt on the roads.

[mainsoda]

Good suggestions all.

While my storage space is clean and rodent free, it has no electricity. How long until that battery is flat? Should I just count on a jump? Or go and start it every month or so?

Previously I had an old 1970 Galaxie 500 and that thing was fine all winter with a few starts. But it certainly didn't use 10W60 oil.

[MinneapolisJeff]

I have an extra spot in my condo garage- I pull out the battery, fuel stab, inflate tires, and throw on the indoor cover. I'll do an overnight charge of the battery in the spring before reinstallation.

No issues related to storage in the 8 yrs of ownership.

[Eau_Rouge111]

I put the car back on the stock 18" wheels with the 10 year old tires it has, pump them up to 45 psi to prevent flat spotting but if it flat spots...no big deal as I have a set of 19" wheels run the car on...fill the tank full of Shell 91 octane plus gas, put it on the trickle charger and wait til May...did this the last 2 years and it fires up like it was put away the day before each time!

[Hawkeye]

About the same as everyone else. Inflate tires, full tank of gas with stabil, car cover, battery tender, and I have some carpet squares I throw under the tires to get them off of the concrete.

Just sit and wait until the salt is off the roads. I don't worry about starting it or anything over the winter. If you don't have an outlet you could always disconnect the battery and bring it inside over the winter. Luckily my garage is fairly well insulated and gets heat from my house, never gets below freezing and has ample power outlets.

edit: This has worked for me for the 10 years I have owned it, and never had an issue with tires or flat spots either.

[pokeybritches]

I always disconnect the battery, and I've never had an issue with the battery going flat.

[Huz-Z]

I do mostly what the folks above say, or in my case:

1. Wash and wax
2. interior clean and vacuum
3. add about 5 extra psi to the tires
4. connect battery to a BMW battery tender
5. cover the car with the fitted OEM breathable cover
6. count the days until spring.

Cheers!

[StickMon]

Sorry, but I have to insert my annual:
<barb>
I'm in SoCal !!!
I put the top down and keep on motorin' !!
</barb>

[RossBMWZseries]

What's the purpose of storing cars in winter? I live in south HOT Texas, maybe that's why there's no storing here year round

[Twixboy]

Originally Posted by StickMon

Sorry, but I have to insert my annual:
<barb>
I'm in SoCal !!!
I put the top down and keep on motorin' !!
</barb>

Originally Posted by RossBMWZseries

What's the purpose of storing cars in winter? I live in south HOT Texas, maybe that's why there's no storing here year round

I'm sold! I've finally come to terms with the fact that I bought the wrong car and my 3.0i roadster is only going to keep dropping in value, so I should just keep driving it and enjoy it as long as I can. In my case that's with the top up and seat warmers on (cold climate package FTW).

Now my question which is a little off topic, has anyone driven a RWD car in a few inches of snow with all-season tires? How is the ride? What differences would I see if I'm used to driving AWD cars in the winter (besides the 37 degree warning beep everyday)? Or should I just leave it home when it's snowing and take it back out when the roads are cleared and full of salt? Or am I just crazy and everyone is going to tell me to store it anyways?

[Huz-Z]

If you want to see your car die an agonizing and debilitating death, drive it regularly on roads that have been salted.

Take if from me, 50 plus years driving on roads like that in Canada

[Twixboy]

Originally Posted by Huz-Z

If you want to see your car die an agonizing and debilitating death, drive it regularly on roads that have been salted.

Take if from me, 50 plus years driving on roads like that in Canada

LOL, but it's already a 13 year old German car. It should be dead by now

On the other hand my winter daily drivers literally start falling apart after 5-6 years and they become impossible to work on because every nut and bolt under the hood is rusted and either doesn't budge or breaks in half if you turn the head too hard. You win, it stays garaged over the winter.

[Huz-Z]

Originally Posted by Twixboy

LOL, but it's already a 13 year old German car. It should be dead by now

On the other hand my winter daily drivers literally start falling apart after 5-6 years and they become impossible to work on because every nut and bolt under the hood is rusted and either doesn't budge or breaks in half if you turn the head too hard. You win, it stays garaged over the winter.

Awesome!! My plan is to keep my car forever. If I ever do replace it, I want that to be because I have found one I like better, not because my Z4 is rusted out. And the fact that our cars are in such great shape ten plus years after leaving the factory says that with care they will stay that way.

[StickMon]

Originally Posted by Twixboy

... has anyone driven a RWD car in a few inches of snow with all-season tires?

How good are you at drifting?
It can be a blast to drive in a few inches, much more and you risk getting high-centered.

I grew up in Chicago. First 2 cars were original Bugs. They're a total hoot to drive in snow.
Third car was a '79 TR7. Also a hoot to drift around in, but as mentioned, salt dissolved it after about 2 seasons.
You'll probably fair better against the salt with good German steel.

[mainsoda]

I got caught in the snow a couple of times in my 1970 Galaxie and it was no fun at all. I'm quite sure with the extra fat tires and lowered suspension on my Z4MC it would be much much worse. Even apart from the travesty of exposing this rust free southern car to salt.

Driving in the snow is fun for me becuase I also have this...

[KevinM]

I have a somewhat unrelated question that you guys may be able to advise me on. I obviously don't need to store cars in the winter here in Tucson, but my M5 and often Z4M coupe sit for long periods. I have a battery tender on both, etc., but I wonder about adding the fuel stabilizer that you mention. Is there a downside to adding this? How long is "too long" for a tank of gas to sit in the car?

Thanks for your advice and I apologize for the semi-thread jack...:/

[bosstones]

Originally Posted by wdb

I also look for decent enough days to get it out for a few miles, but that doesn't always happen.

That's not storage! I do miss driving mine in the winter....I,
hypothetically, might sometimes be found sitting in it from time to time over the winter months....

Originally Posted by Manxman1950

You may also want to increase tire pressures to reduce flat spots...Don’t start the car unless you have the opportunity to bring the fluids up to full operating temps.

on operating temps. Personally, I've always used some 2x10's (cut down) that I had laying around. Moved a few months ago and tossed the boards out so maybe I'll give cardboard a try.....certainly have a lot of that still.

Originally Posted by mainsoda

Good suggestions all.

While my storage space is clean and rodent free, it has no electricity. How long until that battery is flat? Should I just count on a jump? Or go and start it every month or so?

For the first several years of storage, I never had mine on a battery tender. '06 build, bought new in '07...finally replaced the battery last year. I always kept the car locked in the garage. From various other threads, it seems those that locked their cars wrung more life out of the battery.

As it is that time of year again, next weekend I'll:
1. take the Moupe out for a spin to warm it up
2. top off the gas tank
3. lay a tarp under it in the garage
4. change the oil....probably the diff, too, since I haven't done that recently
5. add some Stabil
6. overinflate the tires slightly
7. put cardboard under the tires (why did I throw those 2x10's away!)
8. weep until spring

[bosstones]

Originally Posted by StickMon

Sorry, but I have to insert my annual:
<barb>
I'm in SoCal !!!
I put the top down and keep on motorin' !!
</barb>

Ah, yes...but I'll take my Chicago traffic any day over SoCal traffic. I travel there frequently. Especially when pressing out to the middle of nowhere from LAX at 0500 and seeing the inbound traffic extending out on the 405, 5, and 14....do not want!