[GTRSOFINDY]

what things should I drain etc... to keep my gtr healthy and problem free if it was to sit all winter in garage? Sorry if this is a noob question

 

[k-ore]

I'd get all 4 wheels off the ground to avoid flat spots and when your ready to drive her after storage...change the oil and slap in some fresh fuel.

 

[biscotti]

Don't forget to add fuel stabilizer and put a battery tender on.

 

[GT-Rpilot]

+1 on the tires. Let another car sit over winter and there was no saving the tires afterwards due to flat spots.

 

[k-ore]

Also...disconnect the battery, also if you want to be super careful..but some tire covers the RV owners use and cover all 4 tires up.

 

[GT-R_NOVA]

Crack the windows a bit as you can damage the glass if you open / close the doors while the battery is dead or disconnected

 

[GTRSOFINDY]

Thanks guys

 

[majj35]

I left my car parked beginning of May, had to leave for vacation and came back on Aug (3 months). Thank god car started fine.

just in case the battery would have died i rolled down the passenger window just a bit so I could manually open door without damaging window. Use tape to cover the window opening to keep any bugs etc out. Good luck!

 

[Klamathpro]

You don't need to drain anything. I've been storing cars over the winter for 12 years. You really don't even absolutely have to put car on jackstands, just fill the tires to 40 psi and they won't flatspot. Keep a battery tender on it or simply disconnect the negative and it will usually not lose more than 25% juice as long as it's not in the sub-zero temps in your garage. To avoid rust from condensation on cold garage floors, put a tarp down first, then park the car on top.

 

[SRT Evan]

I've always heard its a bad idea to put cars on stands for a long amount of time. Modern day cars/suspension are designed to be under load 100% of the time. Putting a car on stands can mess with sensors and computers is my understanding. A common way to avoid flat spots is to park your car on some carpet squares. I tried this with my last car and it seemed to work just fine.

 

[j-tuned]

Bought these Ramps from race ramps to avoid flat spotting and put a tender on. Going to change the oil prior to winter this time instead of changing it in spring.

 

[bm11]

I stored mine last winter with a trickle charger on it, and that's it. No issues.

I don't think flat spotting happens with radials, but I am no expert. In any case, I didn't experience it myself.

 

[Jpgtr545]

Mine sits all winter as well on a battery tender . I have had zero issues with it sitting. Maybe start it and run it every now and then.

 

[k-ore]

I've always heard its a bad idea to put cars on stands for a long amount of time. Modern day cars/suspension are designed to be under load 100% of the time. Putting a car on stands can mess with sensors and computers is my understanding. A common way to avoid flat spots is to park your car on some carpet squares. I tried this with my last car and it seemed to work just fine.

Great to know, i'm going to try this.

 

[KarlBlomquist]

You don't need to drain anything. I've been storing cars over the winter for 12 years. You really don't even absolutely have to put car on jackstands, just fill the tires to 40 psi and they won't flatspot. Keep a battery tender on it or simply disconnect the negative and it will usually not lose more than 25% juice as long as it's not in the sub-zero temps in your garage. To avoid rust from condensation on cold garage floors, put a tarp down first, then park the car on top.

^ This. Definitely do NOT let the susp hang for extended periods of time.

Has anyone here ever actually had (or personally seen) a properly inflated tire "develop" flat-spotting from stationary sitting or known anyone that has (aside from hearsay)?

Similar to Klamathpro I've been winter storing cars every year for 13 years in Ottawa winter temps as low as -35c (unheated garage). All I've ever done is pump up the tires to 50psi (and with the cold that probably drops to nearer to 40psi) and I've never had a flat-spot. Nor do I know of anyone else winter storing a car in my local area that has developed flat-spots (and I know many people that winter store).

I don't believe any special procedure or extra investments are necessary.

My process has always been (and nothing more than):
- change oil/filter at the end of the driving season (usually a couple of weeks before entering storage)
- full tank of gas + optionally some stabilizer run through (many years I didn't bother with stabil and I never noticed a difference)
- connect a battery tender
- extra psi in tires (one year I forgot to add extra psi in tires and still they were fine in the spring - so perhaps even extra psi is unnecessary, but it's free peace-of-mind)

Every year, in early April the various cars stored have always started and run flawlessly.

Some people add odour absorbents for the months of storage (not a bad idea), but otherwise I really don't think anything more is necessary.

This has been discussed many times over the years:
http://www.gtrlife.com/forums/topic/107291-winter-storage-q/

Google "winter storage site:gtrlife.com" for many more discussions on this.

 

[GT-Rpilot]

I did get flat spots on my Z32 and it never recovered. Lived in Louisiana so didn't think about temp dropping so didn't bother checking the tires (lesson learned).

 

[monEmakindave]

Keep in mind our cars do have run flats so flat spotting it is probably not gonna happen. But just overinflate them anyway

 

[GT-Rpilot]

Good to know - staring at a 3+ month deployment over fall/winter so very interested in not messing up my tires. I usually get tpms light in winter on nitrogen so will have some extra psi inflated before i go.

 

[cjmatt]

As someone from Detroit, I store my cars every winter. Fill the gastank, no E85. Fill the tires, and park on carpet squares, you wont get flatspots that way. I usually do an oil change right before i put it away also. i leave the windows up and pop the hood so i can charge it before trying to open doors in the spring