Storing a car for 6 months

Delta3D

Delta3D

Delta3D

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North East, UK
Hey,

I'm whacking my Exige V6 into storage for 6 months over the winter period.

There's an incredible amount of mixed information online. My plan currently is to pump the tyres right up, and add a trickle charger.

What's baffling me is with the fuel. I've read all of the below:
  • Add fuel stabiliser, but car will run rough for the full tank when taken out of storage.
  • Add fuel stabiliser, but car will be fine after 6 months.
  • Don't add fuel stabiliser, but fuel will need syphoning and refilling after 6 months.
Anyone got genuine experience? My car will not run on E10/95 and will throw a CEL/limp mode if attempted to do so, so I suspect it's going to be sensitive to fuel degradation.

Storage unit is not heated, but enclosed so won't be affected by frost.
 
Brim the tank with E5 fuel. Keeping it topped right off should help reduce moisture getting in and it should be fine for 6 months in a garage.

I've always brimmed my bikes with super unleaded and they're fine after 6 months under cover in the garden.

I always used to try and get a tank full of Esso premium but it looks like they've now moved it to E5 everywhere rather than just in certain parts of the country.
 
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Three years or so ago my car was left for around four months from the end of November. When I was able to use it again, I got in, pushed the go button and it started straight away. I did no preparation, it just worked. That was outside, not in a garage. I’d imagine six months garaged shouldn’t be any issue at all.
 
Fuel should be OK - I've seen mixed information but brimming tank to reduce potential for moisture seems to be the best way to preserve it.

Make sure to charge battery before and/or trickle charge.

I know some people prefer to put their vehicle on axel stands if leaving them more than 3-4 months or so, especially larger/heavier vehicles.
 
Thanks all.

Will be brimming it as didn't want moisture in, but also didn't want to find I'd waste a full tank. :P

Will be on a trickle charger too as it barely lasts on battery as it is, little lightweight thing...
 
i have stored my TVR for 6 months over winter twice and dont do anything other than put it on a charger and cover it up. Tyres have been fine at normal PSI and the fuel has been fine too.
 
Fuel stabilizer should do it. I'm probably going to store my Elise this winter while I refurb the alloys etc.

But yea, forget about E10, it goes off after about 2 months. Absolute false economy :/
 
I added an easy battery disconnect to my Baja, that spends most of it's life in the garage. With the battery completely isolated, it only needs an occasional top up to stay alive.
 
I have a car that’s garaged and probably only gets used twice a year, if that, I just visually check on it now and then. Battery is removed but that’s it, haven’t done anything else specifically to it. It’s been like that for the past three odd years and it’s been fine and on the button everytime.
 
if not on stands for flat spots, and you are there, no opportunity to occasionally roll the car back/forward a few metres ?
versus undue extra psi stressing rubber, which don't have regular onroad agitation of polymers that would keep them suppler;

obv handbrake off - for cable & avoid irregular corrosion. - rubber door seals leave doors ajar, they compress otherwise - mine can be unused for a month.
 
I've not had an issue with fuel as long as it was super and pretty full.

Is the garage at your house? If so i'd go and rock it back and forth every month to stop flat spots on the tyres and to stop the brake pads binding to the disks. I did that when i had my classic Impreza in my garage for about 12 months.
 
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sovietspybob said:
I've not had an issue with fuel as long as it was super and pretty full.

Is the garage at your house? If so i'd go and rock it back and forth every month to stop flat spots on the tyres and to stop the brake pads binding to the disks. I did that when i had my classic Impreza in my garage for about 12 months.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately not at my house. Makes it a bit of a pain to go back and forth to do maintenance on it.
 
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