Winterizing your car

[New2Talon]

What do you do to "winterize" your car? If you had two cars, a nice ride and a beater. If the car is being parked on the street for the winter is it worth it to get a car cover? Just start it up once a week for a few mins? Anything else?

[the_new_santa1]

I would cover it, and make sure your are high on antifreeze in your rad, maybe put gasline antifreeze, just go to canadian tire, they have a package for winterizing your ride..hope this helps...

[k98303]

Originally posted by the_new_santa1
I would cover it, and make sure your are high on antifreeze in your rad, maybe put gasline antifreeze, just go to canadian tire, they have a package for winterizing your ride..hope this helps...

im thinkin to do that on one of my cars too
stupid winter

[95EagleAWD]

Mine's going into storage come mid to end of October.

Fill the gas tank.

Wash, wax the car.

Pump tires up to 45-ish PSI.

Throw the car cover on.

See ya in Spring!

[Spatz]

if you havent invested in an alarm, i think it would be best to, if your cars parked outside all winter

[barbarian]

- Watch out for neighbors calling the Bylaw police on you.
- Fuel stabilizer
- If you actually park it on the side of the road, watch out for those salting trucks.

[max_boost]

Originally posted by 95EagleAWD
Mine's going into storage come mid to end of October.

Fill the gas tank.

Wash, wax the car.

Pump tires up to 45-ish PSI.

Throw the car cover on.

See ya in Spring!

Slap on some winters and drive it once a week. lol

[New2Talon]

How much is storage space? Where can I look into these?

Why would you fill your tank up before you parked it? Wouldn't you want it as empty as possible so you can fill it with fresh gas come spring?

What is difference between gasline antifreeze and fuel stabilizer?

Car will be parked on corner of driveway. Winter beater will be on the street.

Why alarm? If it is parked right outside my house, no different than summer?

[k98303]

Originally posted by New2Talon
How much is storage space? Where can I look into these?

i would like to know that as well~

when does it start to snow? mid october?

[Xtrema]

I never understand people with 2 cars and no garage.

[thinmyster]

Originally posted by New2Talon
Why would you fill your tank up before you parked it? Wouldn't you want it as empty as possible so you can fill it with fresh gas come spring?

condensation will form in your tank if it is not full

[teggypimp95]

If its parked some where safe i susgest taking the battery off or you will be buying a new one in the spring, if not, just go out and run your car for a lil be once a week.

[bmeier]

fill tank
wash car
pump up tire
remove and store battery

if you have an outdoor cover then go for it but covers can trap moisture agaist the car (bad) and do not start it up till spring.

Starting your car is actually a bad thing unless you are driving it around and gettting it to full operating temp. it is better just to let it sit.

[JspecB16]

Originally posted by New2Talon
How much is storage space? Where can I look into these?

Why would you fill your tank up before you parked it? Wouldn't you want it as empty as possible so you can fill it with fresh gas come spring?

I have a storage place no bigger than a jail cell and its $99 a month so for a car it will be expensive.

As for filling up the gas tank..... like thinmyster said you fill it up because if it is too low ice will build up on the inside walls of ur gas tank and come a chinook it melts and puts water in your fuel. repeat that process 10-12 times through the winter and see how the car runs come spring (like shit).

[Mangina]

Originally posted by New2Talon
What do you do to "winterize" your car? If you had two cars, a nice ride and a beater. If the car is being parked on the street for the winter is it worth it to get a car cover? Just start it up once a week for a few mins? Anything else?

Have you been through a Calgary winter before? For every day it's crappy out and you can't drive your car, there's 2 days of nice, warm, and dry weather with clear streets that you can easily take your car out for a nice drive on. Cover it when your not using it.

It's not like we get 6 months of ice and snow covered streets around here. Stop being a bitch!!!

[New2Talon]

Clear streets? Rocks dont START get cleaned off until mid april. I guess Im a bitch cuz I dont want a bumper full of rock chips. And how am I supposed to get around on the days its snowy n shitty out? Take the bus?

I am going to be getting a cheap winter beater and put pl/pd on it, and park my summer ride. When it is nice out I'll throw some plates on and take her for a spin.

And thank you to all the people who gave HELPFUL responses...

[dave5473]

Solar panel trickle charger will save you from having to start up your car once a week

[SilverBoost]

I used to have to store mine when I lived in the east coast. Here though, well you barely even get snow. You should have zero problems throwing a car cover on it and taking ti out once a week for a good buzz around the block. You won't get any rock chips unless you're hitting major routes. And it's not like you need to hit highway speeds to get some heat in the engine and circulate the fluids.

I don't store mine at all anymore. I do put on winter tires + steelies, but only so I don't chip up my good wheels. I keep it in the garage every night, but when there's no accumulation on the roads I drive it. Turbos love that cold air. Unless you have a $8000+ paint job or a show car, you should just drive it IMO. Except on snow days when all the idiots crash into each other. After all they don't get all the stones off the roads here anyway. I can drive on the deerfoot tomorrow and get my window cracked by a rock just as easily as I can in January. Of course when you use 10 tonnes of rock every night in the winter you can't expect them to have it all clean by spring.

Anyway. again, in your case, I'd drive it around once a week vs. throwing a cover on it for 4 months and having to remove the battery and add stabilizer and all that jazz.

[msommers]

Originally posted by dave5473
Solar panel trickle charger will save you from having to start up your car once a week

that's an excellent idea!

[glennc]

The solar trickle charge is a great idea, and keeping the block heater plugged in cant hurt at all just in case you do decided to take it for a spin.

If its been sitting for more then a week, make sure you let it warm up for a good solid time before you start taking it around. Iusually warm my car up in the winter for 30 minutes. Its cozy warm to get into, and its just a good practce.