long term storage, car not be used for several months. BMW 335i

bazaarboy

bazaarboy

bazaarboy

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Norwich
Just after some advice please

I've had my E92 335i for almost 10 years and has been the best car I've owned. Perhaps a combination of luck and BMW build quality, this car has never gone wrong in any way, at all.
At 102k miles on the clock however, it being an 07 plate and now having two little'uns to taxi around meant that I needed a new car, which I have bought - a 14 plate 330d GT which I'm really happy with.

Now, the 335i is not a car many people want to buy (px offers of £3000, lucky to sell privately for £4-5000), but much more importantly I don't want to get rid of it.
I don't wanna find myself in 15 years' time reminiscing about the time i was a lad and driving around in a lovely sports coupe. I'm keeping it!

So, here is why I've come for advice.
We have a double garage which is used all the time and holds the 330d and the Mrs' Qashqai. We park in the garage every night.
I'd like to get a covered car port (one of those timber structures), but this can't happen until next spring.

The 335i will have to stay out in the open, albeit on our property.
The driveway is kinda narrow and will cause problems if I leave it there.
I'd like to roll it to the corner of the garden (on the spot where I plan to have the car port), but this is just grass.

What measures and prep work would you advice me to take for safe storage?

EG: lift the car on axle stands? cover, leave handbrake off, disconnect battery, empty the tank?

Any help will be appreciated :) :p :cool:
 
How long are you planning to keep it without moving it? Is it really worth the hassle for something that isn't an unusual car? I could understand if it were something rare or already old and unusual.
 
if you want to keep it deffo axle stands and handbrake off for sure, depending on how long you leave it and if your going to keep turning it over etc I would leave battery fuel etc
 
If it's outside make sure it's on some kind of hard standing, grass is the worst as it'll make it rust mega quickly.

Then i'd put it up on axle stands, drain the fuel tank as modern fuel goes funny quite quickly, disconnect the battery, leave the windows open a touch so it doesn't go stale and moldy inside.

Ideally though cars don't like being unused so it'd be ideal to keep it insured on a limited mileage policy and take it out once a month for a drive to get everything up to temperature, it'll keep it in good condition probably more easily than trying to store it long term.
 
Just to add to the above. Best just leave one car outside. At least you can lay up the car safely. Leaving a car outside is not very good as things start to grow on it. Inside it is in a more warm environment and easier to maintain.

I would also put my foot down and leave the Nissan outside. It is of the least value and less likely to get nicked.
 
Thanks guys
Long term outdoor storage is surprisingly hard (to do correctly)

I think I’ll take the consensus advice offered here and probably rotate the 3 cars in the garage until the car port is built

Cheers :)
 
Guaranteed after a few months you'll sell it anyway. Take lots of pics after you've polished her up and get rid.

Leave the past the past and in a few years buy a sports car!
 
I would seriously consider leaving it in the garage as I leave my RX7 in the garage for months at a time with little or no prep. I do disconnect the battery and leave the tilt roof panel cracked open. This is usually over the winter months. In spring I check the tyre pressures and give it a once over before filling up with fresh fuel but I have also driven it for days on the old fuel before with no issue.

If the cars was outside then I would expect damp related issues or contaminated fuel from sitting in cold weather etc.

Neighbours have a Peugeot 206 left on the drive and it's mouldy on the outside and inside! Some days there's so much condensation on the inside you can't see in. Worst case scenario of course with zero care taken.
 
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